Mothers and Daughters
by Sasusaku and Naruhina forever
Summary: Sarada wanted to know the answers to the questions her mother refuses to answer. And the only person who can give her those answers is her father and she will find him and make him answer her even if it meannt having to lie to her mother. This story mostly focuses on Sarada and Sakura's relationship, but there is sasusaku. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

I can't tell you much about this story without giving away too much, but I hope you enjoy it. It's centered on Sakura and Sarada and their relationship with minor Sasusaku (I haven't fully decided yet). Hope you enjoy it.

After reading Naruto Gaiden, my respect and love for Sakura only increased like heck. I love that woman.

ALSO I wrote this like 2 years ago, so if there are inconsistencies please forgive me. I started writing this when Naruto ended ages ago but never finished until recently. so bare with me guys. Thanks!

Chapter 1: Unanswered questions

From the sounds coming from around her, Sakura already knew where she was even before she opened her eyes. She was in the hospital. Unfortunately, she also vaguely recalled why she was here as well. She had had a minor fight with her daughter Sarada and had released her monster strength during it, which resulted in her bringing down her house…quite literally. She should've been more careful, but when Sarada questions about her father from her, Sakura doesn't know what to say and in return ends up doing something stupid.

Speaking of her daughter, Sakura slowly attempted to open her eyes. The bright light coming from the open window momentarily blinded her, showing her only brightness for a few seconds before the room's ceiling came into full view for her. She slowly blinked her emerald eyes at the white ceiling before she sat up making sure she didn't give herself whiplash. Curse her faint heart for failing to keep her upright in the direst of situations.

Sakura ran her eyes around the room as the white sheet covering her fell to her lap. Just then the door located to her left opened revealing Shizune in her usual black ukata, her black eyes smiling at the now conscious Sakura.

"Ah Sakura! Glad to see you awake. You were out like a light for almost 3 hours. I was getting worried." She heard Shizune's voice as she tried to understand the words.

"Sarada?" Sakura asked as her mind cleared and she swung her feet off the bed.

"She's fine. She went back to the house to get something." Shizune said with a smile. "You can leave as soon as you are feelings better. You just fainted out of shock, quiet frequent for you so I wouldn't worry too much about it." She added with good humour.

"Thank you Shizune-san." Sakura said with a smile as the two left the room Sakura previously occupied. Sakura waved to Shizune and exited the hospital and into the streets of Konoha hoping to run into her daughter.

She had to apologize to Sarada. She rarely raises her voice at Sarada. She rarely has to. Sarada is an incredible child for her age. She is nothing like Sakura herself used to be when she was twelve years old. Sarada was much more mature that sometimes Sakura wished she would be more like a child so that she could spoil her little girl more. But Sarada rarely gave her enough chances for such a thing.

While Sakura worried about boys and typical girl things when she was twelve years old, all Sarada wanted to do was be with her father. She and Sasuke have been married for twelve years, but he had left the village while Sarada was still a baby. Sakura had waited day in and day out for him to come home and spend time with Sarada. But after waiting five long year, she had stopped waiting for him. Just as soon as Sarada began to understand her surroundings, Sakura decided not to give her daughter too much hope in the father department. She didn't want Sarada awaiting her father's return to them like she had waited for Sasuke in her younger years. She wanted to give Sarada a chance to be a child before she is forced to face the realities of life.

Sakura didn't know whether or not Sasuke was coming back. She didn't even know if he had planned on coming back when he left all those years ago. Frankly, she didn't even know why he married her.

Well… she had a hunch, she just didn't want to believe that was the only reason. But considering her "marriage" she doubted it was anything else.

Sakura turned the corner to her house and came face to face with the consequences of her anger management issues.

"Oh kami, I have got to get myself under control." She muttered to herself as she walked around the house. "Sarada." Sakura shouted hoping to catch a glimpse of red somewhere. "Honey, are you here?" Sakura tried again. Her heart quickened slightly as her callings went unanswered. "Sarada?" she tried again, this time a little louder and a little bit more desperate.

Just as Sakura stepped into what was supposed to be their backyard, her eyes came in line with a piece of paper hanging from the cherry tree in their backyard. The paper was folded in half and hanging from a thread from a lower branch of the tree. The paper twirled with the wind and Sakura immediately ran to it as one side read "MAMA" in big bold letters. She ignored the debris around her as she tripped over lord knows what to get to the piece of paper.

Sakura hurriedly ripped the paper from the thread and opened it to reveal the round and neat handwriting of her daughter. Sakura's heart ran at an incredible speed as it pounded against her ribcage. She could practically feel her whole body pounding along with her heart as her trembling hands held the paper between her fingers.

 _Dear mama, I'm sorry I couldn't say this to you in person. But if I had waited for you to wake up you would never have let me do this. I know you think I'm too young to know the truth about my father, but I'm not. I need to know everything about him. While I was looking through things, I found a picture of papa. When I took the picture out of the frame it had more people in it. One of them were a lady…with glasses, just like mine. I don't know why you hid this from me when you know I can handle anything. I never thought you would lie to me like this. How could you possibly hide this from me?_

 _Mama…why didn't you tell me you aren't my real mother?_

 _I'm going to go look for them, I need to know the truth and you are not telling me anything. Please don't come after me._

 _I love you!_

 _Sarada._

Sakura let out a loud sob as her free hand clutched at her heart over her dress. Tears streamed down her rosy cheeks but none of that stopped her from running full speed towards the Hokage tower.

Sakura didn't bother knocking on the door to the room before barging in as the door slammed against the wall. Both Naruto and Shikamaru looked up at the sound, surprised at the sudden intrusion.

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto began but didn't get to finish as she slammed a piece of paper onto his desk.

"Sarada has gone looking for Sasuke-kun. You need to let me leave now or else I'm just going to walk out of the village to look for her on my own." She demanded as Naruto stared at her with wide ocean blue eyes. His eyes widened double its size before he took the paper into his hand hurriedly and read it as fast as he could, with Shikamaru reading over his shoulder.

"What the hell!? Why would she do something like this?" Naruto questioned as concern filled his eyes.

"I don't know. Naruto please I beg you, let me go look for my daughter." Sakura pleaded as her eyes looked at the slowly darkening sky behind Naruto. "It's getting dark. Please." she tried again as more tears filled her emerald eyes.

"You will leave with Sai as soon as possible and look for Sarada." Naruto said but before he could say anything else, Sakura had already left the room.

If it were any other child, Naruto would've told her to look around the village before assuming they had actually left the village. But this was Sarada. She was every bit the teme and Naruto knew to not take her words lightly.

Sakura gave the message to Sai and told him to meet her at the gates in 10 minutes before going back to her own broken down house to gather a few necessary things.

Fresh tears continued to escape her eyes as she willed her hands to move faster and faster as she packed her things and got ready. 'May be Uchiha's just liked breaking her heart.' She thought as she ran towards the gate.

Sarada looked straight ahead as she jumped from tree to tree. Her dark eyes moved above her to look at the slowly darkening sky. She knew her mama was going to come after her no matter what. Which is why she had left as soon as possible from the village. Even if it had been a good idea to get a three hour head start, Sarada had absolutely no idea where she was going. She wasn't even a genin yet, all she had was training, no real experience.

When the thought first occurred to her two hours ago, her small heart had almost given up and gone back to the village. But her brain told her she had to keep going. It told her that she had questions that her mama refused to answer for reasons unknown to her. She was going to find those answers and the only one who could give her the answers she needs are her father…and her birth mother.

Sarada's heart squeezed painfully at the thought that her mama wasn't her real mother. Her eyes stung as they filled with tears. She tried to will them away because she never cried. As she grew up she learned to never cry and she never really had a good enough reason to spill tears unlike her mama. Her mama cried for everything.

On her first day at the academy, her mama refused to let go of her hand and cried big fat tears. Sarada had gone completely red as her fellow students and their parents stared at them. It had been so embarrassing for her.

On her tenth birthday, her mama had also cried about her baby growing up so fast. Unfortunately, it had been her birthday party and her fellow students and parents had yet again stared as her mama cried for absolutely no reason. After that she had refused to have another birthday party the year after.

It was ridiculous, the amount of times her mama cries. 'I have to hug her and console her every time.' Sarada thought as a sad smile took place on her pale lips. Before she realized it, Sarada was crying. Unfamiliar streaks of tears stained her face as the picture of her mama crying over her written letter came into her mind. She quickly attempted to wipe them but it was futile as more tears came out of her eyes, blurring the path ahead of her.

'This is stupid. I have to find shelter before it gets too dark.' She thought as her eyes again reached the sky as the sky lost its orange hue to give way to the darkness. She frantically looked around for anything that could keep her safe during the night, her onyx eyes running over every little space of the forest.

However, Sarada came to an unexpected halt as a dark silhouette suddenly landed before her. In an instant she had her new kunai in her hand and her legs parted to stand in a fighting position. She panted to catch her breath as neither of them spoke. As time passed with neither of them speaking, the moon rose above them, the light from the moon illuminating the face of the figure in front of her.

Sarada only saw one red eye stare back at her before her mind went hazy and she lost consciousness. The last thing she saw behind her closed eyelids were a picture of her mama waving at her with a smile and tear filled eyes.

"Mama." She whispered as she felt herself fall but wasn't awake for the impact.

 **Is Sakura really not her mother? Why does Sarada think Karin is her mother? Will Sakura find her daughter?**

The unanswered questions will be answered in future chapters. Wait for them.

Rate and review if you have time. Thank you!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Runaway

"You know who she is right?" a female voice asked in a hushed tone, incredulously.

"You shouldn't concern yourself with this." A rough voice grumbled.

"May be if you two stopped bickering, we could ask her what she is doing here." A man's voice, much more friendly than the last one said.

"I said don't concern yourself with this. We are not a team anymore. We just happen to run into each other. You can be on your way." The unfriendly voice said again, this time sounding a little angry.

"It's likely Sakura is unaware of this." The female voice added. Hearing her mother's name is what made Sarada want to open her eyes. The only information she could gain from her senses was that she was rather chilly. More so than she is used to. Sarada slowly opened her onyx eyes but her vision was still blurry. She blinked a couple of times to clear her vision and she was greeted with a poorly lit room. She didn't make any sudden movements, only moving her eyes around her.

The room was lit with a few candles, one candle on the bedside table to her left, another on a table across from her and the last right beside what appeared to be a wooden door. Before Sarada could gain any more information about where she actually is, the door beside the candle flew open making Sarada jump. She immediately sat up on her bed staring at a single cold dark eye. They stared at each other for a moment before Sarada recognized who this man with one lone dark eye is.

She was speechless for what seemed like an eternity without knowing what to say or do.

"You…you are…" but she was quickly cut off.

"What are you doing out of the village?" he asked, his rough voice clearly stating his authority. Sarada still didn't know what to say or how to respond. Having never met this person before and having always wanted to meet him, she struggled to find the right words to speak for the first time…to her father.

"You-you are my…father." She mumbled almost afraid to say the words too loudly. The man's expression didn't change at all having heard her call him her father. For a moment she wondered if she had mistaken him for her father.

"Sasuke, you can't talk to a child like that." The female voice from before said as she entered the room from behind her father. "Hey. My name is Karin. Does you mom know you are out of the village?" she asked as she came to sit down on the bed beside Sarada.

Sarada recognized her instantly as the woman from the picture at home. Her real mother. Sarada's eyes widened at seeing her and her heart almost beat right out of her chest as the woman with wild red hair and eyes smiled down at her.

"You alright beautiful? You look like you've seen a ghost." Sarada's eyes turned from the face of the woman to the voice coming from behind her. 'It was the playful and friendly voice from before' she thought before she came face to face with a man with white hair and upon looking at his smile she came across his unusually shaped teeth.

She immediately wanted her mother.

7 year ago

" _Mama, mama!" Sarada screamed for her mother at the top of her lungs as she hugged her pink blanket to her neck. Sarada saw her mother running into the room with fear filled green eyes. Upon noticing the tears pouring down her face, her mother ran to her side._

" _What's wrong sweet heart?" she asked quickly, sitting down on the bed beside her._

" _Mama, there-there is a…Mon…monster in the closet." Sarada said through sobs, her small heart beating so fast and so loudly it almost hurt. Her mother's vibrant green eyes relaxed for a moment before looking at her lovingly._

" _Would it make you feel better if I checked?" her mother asked gently as she tucked a stray strand of dark hair behind Sarada's ear. Sarada panicked before grabbing her mother's hand._

" _No mama, they'll get you." She said as she held on to her hand tighter. Her mother smiled at her._

" _I won't let them get to you. I will hit them and beat them up. You know how strong I am right?" she asked with raised eyebrows. Sarada knew how strong her mother is. All of the village and even people outside of the village knew how strong her mother is. There is nothing for her to worry about because her mama will never let anything happen to her and nothing can ever hurt her mama either. Sarada nodded her head once after which her mother stood up from the bed._

 _Sarada's heart beat faster and louder than before as her mama approached the closet. She flew open the closet door in an instant startling Sarada for a moment before turning around to face her._

" _See? No monsters." She said and Sarada peered inside the closet from behind her mother and saw nothing but her clothes. She stared at the closet harder looking at every corner making sure nothing was in it._

 _She then turned to her mother still a little uncertain. Her mother seems to notice her uneasiness and walked towards her._

" _How about we have a sleepover in my room today?" her mother suggested happily. Sarada immediately broke into a smile, ecstatic about the idea. Her mother picked her up in her arms in the next moment and walked out of Sarada's room._

 _She always loved her mother's room. It was so big with all kinds of different stuff. One of which were a picture of her parents and the seventh with uncle Kakashi when they were young. Another is another picture with her father on it when he was a little older. She liked to look at them because she felt closer to him that way._

 _Sarada knew that she could always count on her mother no matter what it was. She knew she doesn't have to be afraid of anything because her mother can beat up anything. Her mother was her idol._

Present

Sarada's heart ached at the memory. Her mother must be worried sick.

"How…how long was I out?" she asked facing Karin. She looked taken aback for a moment before she answered.

"Um…just two hours." She replied. For sure her mother is frantic by now. She felt guilty for doing this to her mother but she had no other choice. "How about some food?" the woman asked, making Sarada lock gazes with her. She nodded her head in reply sensing her stomach's lack of food.

Karin took her hand and walked out of the room as the man who is supposed to be her father sighed. But him and the man with the sharp teeth followed them through the dark hallways and entered the kitchen which looked much more furnished than the bedroom had looked.

The kitchen looked disturbingly normal. There was a fridge-lord knows where they get electricity from- and a stove and a sink on the marble counter and a dining table in the middle with six chairs. Karin told her to sit on one of the chairs and her father took the chair right across from her and the man with the sharp teeth took the one beside her.

She stared at her father. She had never before seen him with this much clarity. Her memories of her father were always so hazy and with his silence she didn't know whether she liked him or not.

"Do you want some coffee?" Karin asked her but Sarada was too busy as she stared at her father to look at her. Her father stared back at her as if in boredom but she didn't look away because she finally got to meet her father.

"Mama doesn't let me drink coffee." She automatically replied having remembered her mother telling her not to drink any. As soon as she said that, her father's dark eyes flickered for quarter of a second. If she hadn't been intently looking at him, she would've missed it.

"Okay then. We just stocked up. You can have milk or orange juice or tea if you prefer." Karin listed. "We don't have anything fancy cooked, but I can make you some rice porridge." Karin said and Sarada nodded her head. "Suigetsu, you better eat it this time. It's good for you. You too Sasuke." Sarada heard Karin say from somewhere behind her.

"Tch, annoying woman." Sarada heard Suigetsu mumble under his breath. "So princess, what are you doing out here all by yourself?" Suigetsu asked turning to face her. Sarada broke eye contact with her father and looked down at the table.

"Sarada." Her eyes snapped up at the sound of her father's voice, calling out her name for the first time ever to her recollection. "Does- your mother know you ran away from the village?" her father asked, his voice faltering only for a moment. She was compelled to answer at the sound of her father's stern voice.

"I-I left her a note." She answered timidly. She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I know." She said looking up at her father's eyes. "I know she's not my real mother." She saw the surprise cross her father's eyes, his lone eye widening slightly. The sounds from behind her had completely stopped and the smile from Suigetsu's face had disappeared. "I found my birth certificate. It says my birth mother is Karin." She finished and immediately she heard a crash from behind her. Sarada didn't have to look back to know that Karin had dropped the pot on the floor.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: More company

The whole room was overtaken by an uncomfortable silence and Sarada almost wanted to take back what she said. All three people in the room were gaping at her and she could feel Karin's eyes on the back of her head. She opted to look at her father, his eyes showing no emotion what so ever other than the slight widening a few minutes ago. Her father was a tightly closed book.

"I-I'm not your mother Sarada." She heard Karin say, finally breaking the silence in the room. Sarada turned her head to face Karin and she was taken aback for a moment at the way Sarada looked at her.

"Don't lie to me. I need to know the truth. I want someone to give me answers." She said adamantly, her dark eyes boring into Karin`s.

"Honey, I'm not your mother." Karin said gently, her eyes softening at the child before her. Sarada let out a tired sigh, knowing full well she can get nothing out of Karin. She turned her gaze to her father again and his impassive eyes made something click in her. This man had the nerve to stare at her so stoically when he had for the first time met his daughter and has barely spoken any words to her. Sarada's onyx's eyes flashed with anger and she straightening her back, glaring at her father.

"You may be my father…but I will never call you that." She said evenly but still surely, keeping her anger perfectly at bay. The father daughter duo continued to engage in a staring contest, neither of them breaking down. Her father's continued silence and impassivity only fuelled her anger more. She could feel her face heating up and going red with anger.

Suddenly, her father's eyes turned to the door right across from the one they had entered through. Sarada was startled at his sudden action and only could stare at him in confusion as a response. He stared at the door for a few more seconds, his one eye as impassive as it had been a moment ago. The scraping of his chair as he stood up made her jump, the sound doubling in the silent room.

As her father walked out of the room through the door he had stared at, she wanted to scream at him to not walk away from her, to give her answers. But catching the gazes of the two other occupants in the room, she got the feeling they knew something she didn't.

Sakura ran frantically through the forest, tree branches hit her as she ordered her feet to run faster. She didn't care that she had scrapes over her arms, neck and face. She didn't care that her legs felt like they were about to fall off. The only thing on her mind was the fact that she hasn't found her daughter and she had been missing for over five hours now.

Her heart hasn't stopped trying to beat out of her chest since she found the letter, neither have her hands stopped shaking.

"Sakura, we need to take a break. You shouldn't be travelling this fast for this long. Didn't Shizune-san tell you to rest?" Sakura heard Sai's voice from beside her. Even if she tried to take a break, she wouldn't be able to. Her child is missing for god's sake.

"No, I can keep…" she halted mid-sentence and dropped down to the ground. She turned her head towards Sai and he seems to notice as well. Sai nodded his head in agreement, confirming her suspicions.

"Sakura." The first thing she noticed as her name rolled off his tongue is that the way he says her name hasn't changed one bit. It was no different from the bored drawl he used to say it with when they were children, reminding her of all the heartbreak he had caused her despite the clean goodbye they'd had the last time they separated.

"Sasuke…" she murmured as that tiny bit of sadness was filled with happiness at seeing him after five years. But the next moment, her happiness was replaced by frantic motherly concern. "Sasuke, Sarada is missing. She ran away to come look for you." She said desperately, knowing full well she can get him to look for Sarada as well.

There were so many questions she wanted to ask Sasuke. But she didn't think about thembfor more than a passing moment because her first priority is finding Sarada.

"I know." He said as she finished her sentence.

"What?! How…is she with you?" she asked surprised as her heart lifted with relief for a moment.

"Come with me." He motioned for Sakura and Sai. Sakura's fist balled in anger, staring at the back of Sasuke's head.

"Sasuke, just tell me if you have her." she said in anger not wanting to deal with his odd way of answering her questions. If she's not with him, she didn't want to waste any time here. Sasuke turned his head towards her but for some reason didn't answer her, which only made her angrier.

"Sasuke. Please tell us if Sarada is with you before ugly here starts throwing punches." Sakura heard Sai say from beside her and if she wasn't so focused on finding Sarada, she would have thrown a punch or two directed solely at Sai.

"She's with me." Sasuke finally answered. Sakura let out a sigh of relief just as the words escaped his mouth.

"Thank god!" she said as her eyes filled with tears and her heart filled with relief. Her legs seem to want to give out under her and her head was feeling dizzy, her exhaustion catching up to her. Sasuke started walking again and Sakura followed, pushing her exhaustion to the back of her mind so that she could see Sarada.

As she followed behind Sasuke with Sai beside her, her eyes blurred, Sasuke's black cape and his dark shoulder length hair moulding into one big blur in front of her. She blinked the blurs away only for them to come back a moment later. She was vaguely aware as they entered a dark entryway but it was getting harder and harder to hold on to her consciousness as exhaustion, lack of food and the fact that she hadn't fully rested after waking up from a faint spell caught up to her. The next thing she knew, Sasuke was standing beside her but before she could even look at him questioningly, she had lost consciousness.

Sarada sat at the table nibbling at her rice porridge, not being able to eat despite the angry rumbling of her stomach. Suigetsu quietly ate bedside her and Karin sat in front of her, not even touching the bowl of porridge in front of her. Sarada was very uncomfortable, she wanted to leave the room. Who would've thought the absence of her father in the room world only make it more uncomfortable?

She heard the door behind her open and looked up at Karin as she stood up abruptly. Her red eyes were slightly wide and Sarada also saw from the corner of her eye as Suigetsu also turned his head to the door standing up a moment later.

"Wow! What'd ya do this time?" Suigetsu said just as Sarada turned her head to look at the door. Her chair fell back as she stood up, her heart beating wildly as her eyes landed on her mother in her father's arms.

"Mama!" she called as she ran towards them. She could feel her father's eyes on her as she tried to get a good look at her mother. "Sai-Oji san, what happened to mama? Is she alright?" she asked frantically looking at the only familiar face other than her mother.

"She just fainted from exhaustion. Nothing to worry over." She heard her father's voice say and she looked up at him worriedly, her eyes tearful at seeing her mother and knowing full well she was the cause of it. "It's not your fault. She does this kind of stupid thing all the time." he said as if he had read her mind. She was shocked to hear him say that as if he knows her, as if he's been with her the last twelve years. Despite that, she felt relived at knowing that. She nodded her head at her father and turned her gaze to her mother's face. She had several cuts on her arms and her face but she didn't seem to be too badly injured.

She looked at her mother's face as it rested on her father's shoulder. 'She looks exhausted' Sarada thought with a sigh. She watched as her father walked away from them towards the hallway she had previously come from.

"She's just tired. Don't worry about it. She'll be fine." Sai-Oji san said as she continued to look the way her father had disappeared through. She nodded her head before she walked the same way, following the hallway looking for the room her father had placed her mother in.

She continued to walk, looking for any signs as to where the room was. As soon as she was in front of the open door, her feet stopped moving. She quickly side stepped to her left and peered inside the room.

Her mother laid on the bed and she had arrived just as her father pulled the covers over her body, gently placing it on her. She watched as her father looked down at her mother, she couldn't see his eyes but she wished she could because she wanted to know what he was thinking. After looking down at her for what seemed like forever, he slowly sat down beside her allowing Sarada to see her father's eyes.

Sarada's eyes widened and she supressed a gasp as she saw his softened eyes and what Sarada could only label as a tiniest smile grazing his pale lips. Just as he lifted his hand and ran the back of his finger over her mother's cheek ever so softly, Sarada felt like she was witnessing something she shouldn't be. She felt like she was intruding, she quickly turned her head away from the room, her back flat against the wall.

'What the hell was going on here?' she thought as she quietly walked away from her mother and her father.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.

Chapter 4- Questions and answers

Sarada walked back to the kitchen slowly, the image of her father's soft eyes engrained in her head. She was so confused. If her father had any feelings at all towards her mother, then why had he not been part of their lives for so long? Why is Karin's name on her birth certificate under the name of her mother? She didn't even know when exactly her mother and her father had fallen in love. Sure she knew her mother's side of the story. About being aunt Ino's rival, but actually falling in love with him throughout their time as team mates and him falling in love with her, she had no idea how any of that happened.

Sarada loved to hear her mother tell that story because her mother hadn't started with loving her father. She loved the way her mother's eyes sparkled when she talks about their first mission with the bridge builder. She didn't like the sad look in her mother's eyes when she talks about the part where she had thought her father had died. Her mother's eyes would tear up as she talked about how she, for the first time, experienced the loss of someone important to her.

Her mother talked a lot about when they were young. But never about when they were older. She didn't know much about anything else other than the missions they went on. She doesn't know anything about her father's side of things either considering this was the first time she met him to her knowledge. But if Karin was her mother, how did she – Sarada - come to be?

Sarada closed her eyes and shook her head just as she entered the kitchen. The two members occupying the room didn't notice her as she stood at the door way, with their back turned towards her. Karin sat at the chair she was occupying before, and Suigetsu sat beside her, neither of them speaking and the room was filled with awkwardness.

"Hey, want to go for a walk?" Suigetsu asked Karin, still unaware of their audience.

"But Sakura…" Karin began worriedly, turning her head towards Suigetsu.

"She'll be fine. Sasuke said it was just exhaustion." Suigetsu said interrupting Karin. The room was silent for a few minutes before Suigetsu spoke again. "You are worrying for no reason. None of this is your doing." Suigetsu said lowering his voice Sarada almost didn't hear him. "Anyway, your worrying face makes your face even uglier, so stop it." Suigetsu added, his voice coming back to normal. Sarada almost choked as he said this, her black eyes widening a fraction at his words as well as his sudden change in tone.

"Shut up shark breath." Karin said, her eyes narrowing at Suigetsu, though Sarada saw the barely there smile that graced Karin's lips "You know what…" Karin began before leaning closer to his ear. All Sarada saw afterwards is Suigetsu's back as it tensed, and Karin's satisfied smirk.

"Oh come on. I didn't mean it." Suigetsu whined as Karin stood up, the smirk still on her face.

"Sasuke." Karin's mood changed immediately just as Sarada felt a presence behind her. Suigetsu's head also turned towards the door just as Sarada looked up to find her father standing behind her, her head craning up to look at his face.

Suddenly, Sarada was disturbingly aware of the many things that are a mystery to her about her father as he stood miles away from her. The thought of ever closing that distance between them and coming closer to him and learning amazing things about him seems depressingly farfetched to her small brain as he towered over her like the Hokage Mountain.

"We were thinking of going for a walk." Suigetsu said as he stood up, picking up the biggest sword Sarada had ever seen in her life that she now wondered how she had not noticed it before.

"Hn, you can be on your way now. You don't have to hang around here." Her father said, surprising Sarada with his blunt rudeness.

"Come on Sasuke. Is that how you treat old friends, seeing them after twelve years?" Suigetsu said as if not even bothered by her father's rude words. "Besides, we were thinking of visiting that cousin of Karin's, you know…the Hokage. We'll hang around for a little longer." Suigetsu finished as he took Karin's hand in his "…oh and the pale guy left. He said he'd let the Hokage know everything's fine." He added as he walked towards the door with Karin following behind.

"Hn." Her father said again just as Karin and Suigetsu walked out of the room waving at Sarada. It took Sarada a couple minutes to put Suigetsu's words together, then her eyes immediately widened.

"Wait…she's related to the seventh?!" she asked in surprise but they had already disappeared through the door.

"Hn, yeah." To her surprise her father is the one that answered and to add to that her heart almost beat out of her chest as she felt a large hand land on the top of her head. She was too shocked to react and before she knew it her father had already walked to the table and sat down. "Sarada. Come sit down" her father said surprising her even more, his voice still monotone.

The room was filled with a long silence after she sat down on the chair across from her father. They just simply stared at each other, Sarada sat on the chair with her back straight and her eyes curiously waiting for her father to say something. Her father sat with his chin resting on his interlaced fingers.

"How...how's school?" her father finally said awkwardly, his eyes straying from her for a moment before coming back to her. Clearly her father was attempting at small talk and his inability to do so both amused and angered her. But she thought of this as a good opportunity to get her questions answered and she feared she may not get a better chance at it again.

"Good. I'm the first in my class." She said proudly. It was one of her biggest accomplishments. She had been told many times that her parents were two of the brightest kids in the academy. She had worked her best to achieve this ranking to feel some kind of connection to her father…or at least she had thought so. But in the end, it didn't help at all to do anything of the sort. It at least made her mother smile happily so she didn't mind that it didn't fulfill its original purpose. "My turn." Sarada declared after a few seconds, making her father look at her questioningly, as he hadn't meant for her to say anything else at all.

"Your turn to do what?" he asked slowly, his voice sounding mildly amused.

"To ask a question." She said as if he should've already known it. "Why were you so close to the village when you ran into me?" she asked having been curious about it this whole time. If her father had come so close to the village, why hadn't he come to the village to see them? What reason could he possibly have for it?

Sasuke was relieved that her question had nothing to do with her existence. She was twelve years old and he highly doubted she would be able to understand everything about how she came to be, nor did he have any intention of explaining those things to her. He had to admit though, he wasn't the least bit upset about the events that had occurred over the last 24 hours. Even having this conversation, which he knew would soon take a turn for the worst, he didn't mind having. Talking to Sarada like this is something he never thought he would be able to do for a long time.

"I was supposed to be relaying some information to Naruto about my recent mission." He answered simply and honestly.

"Can't you do that from anywhere?" she asked, her dark eyes, which so much reminded Sasuke of his own eyes, sparkling with determination, which reminded Sasuke so much of her mother.

"I followed my enemy here." He answered as if he were being interrogated. He couldn't help the amusement he felt from watching his daughter question him like an interrogator. To Sasuke's surprise Sarada didn't ask any questions about her birth. He knew that's why she came looking for him because she had said so herself. She had mainly stuck to questions regarding his missions that she said 'kept him too busy to even visit his family.'

Having felt as though continuing to lie to her would be wrong, he had told her everything he is authorized to tell her about his missions. Starting from following the new enemy to watch their moves eleven years ago to finding out that the enemy planned to attack the village. She seems to understand everything he was saying with little to no further explanations from him. Sasuke noticed that she also seemed to lose the initial anger he noticed she had towards him. He knew that nothing would ever be able to make up for him not being there for her growing up, but if she understood why, maybe their relationship wouldn't be so rocky.

He was just starting to feel comfortable about the questions she was asking when she asked a question that he didn't know how to answer.

"When did you fall in love with mama?" as the question left her lips, her onyx orbs turned directly towards his own, sharp and unblinking. Staring at those eyes that demanded the truth from him, he didn't know which answer he should give to make her hate him the least.

"Sarada." Both their heads snapped towards the door as they heard the familiar voice, saving Sasuke even after all these years.

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	5. Chapter 5

AN: I'm glad everyone is enjoying the story. Hope you guys continue to read and continue to enjoy it. Thanks everyone for the reviews, please let me know if you guys like the story so far and I gladly welcome all comments. Enjoy!

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Chapter 5- Going home

Sasuke's eyes fell on Sakura as she stood at the door, her emerald eyes bloodshot and brimming with tears. But her eyes didn't even turn his way as she stared at Sarada longingly. Before Sasuke could even comprehend what was happening, Sarada had jumped into Sakura's arms, her small arms tightly wrapping around Sakura's waist and Sakura's arms wrapping around Sarada. Sasuke watched as the tears cascaded down Sakura's eyes.

"You scared me half to death." She said as she closed her eyes making more tears fall from her eyes.

"I'm sorry mama. I'm so sorry." Sarada cried, hugging her mother even tighter if possible. Sakura let go of Sarada and kneeled down in front of her, coming to eye level with her. Sasuke watched as Sakura ran her thumb over Sarada's cheek, wiping the tears from her face.

"You don't ever do that again; do you understand?" Sakura said as she held Sarada's face between her hands, her green eyes looking at Sarada's black ones meaningfully making sure her words were getting to her daughter. "When you want to go somewhere, you tell me next time. You are all I have so don't…don't leave me like that again, okay?" she finished softly and desperately, her eyes refilling with tears.

Sasuke felt a little guilty as Sarada wrapped her arms around Sakura's shoulders hugging her again as she sobbed. Sakura ran her hand over Sarada's hair comforting her. After a while of Sasuke just sitting there feeling completely out of place in this family reunion that he shouldn't feel so awkward around, he stood up from his seat at the table.

"You should eat something." He said, making the other two occupants of the room come back from their moment. Neither of them turned to him though as they detangled from each other, Sakura again wiping more tears from Sarada's face, this time with a warm smile on her pretty face.

"Have you eaten anything?" she asked Sarada instead. Sarada nodded her head in reply with a sniffle. Then Sakura's eyes turned to Sasuke just as he was done placing a plate full of porridge on the table. "Did she eat?" she asked skeptically as if knowing what Sarada said was untrue. Sasuke's eyes turned to Sarada just as she lowered her head having being caught lying. Sasuke shook his head once wondering how Sakura could've possibly known that Sarada hadn't eaten her meal.

Sakura and Sarada sat side by side on the chairs at the table with Sasuke sitting across from them. He watched as Sakura picked up a spoon full and directed it towards Sarada's mouth. At first Sasuke thought Sarada would refuse, but she seemed like a different person from the one who had interrogated him a few minutes ago now that she was near her mother.

Sarada opened her mouth and ate the porridge as Sakura fed her. Sasuke was left to wonder why he felt so alien as he sat across from his wife and daughter. He also didn't want to disrupt the two either because he was relieved. There were countless times that he had wondered how Sakura was faring with this whole deal of him being away from them. He used to visit Konoha frequently when Sarada was just a baby but as she got older it became harder and harder for him to leave when she begged him not to with her big dark eyes. Sakura understood what he needed to do but Sarada was an innocent child who knew nothing of the cruelties of the world. His visits became less frequent and he is now realising the holes in his plan to keep his family safe. He has lost the best period of Sarada's life which allowed him to bond with her.

Sasuke watched as Sakura also took bites and the two of them finished the bowl. As much as he missed these opportunities, he couldn't help internally smiling as Sakura wiped Sarada's mouth. He had undoubtedly known that Sakura was the most caring person he knows other than Naruto. But still, Sakura had an innate sweetness that assured him that even if he left, she would bring this child up with all the care in the world. He now saw the proof of his instinct.

"Were you on your way to see Naruto?" Sakura's next question was directed at him, which was wholly unexpected because she hadn't inquired about him at all since they saw each other in the forest. He nodded his head in reply. Of course she knew about his visits to the hokage. Naruto would've told her about it but he found it rather unsettling that she would be so fine with him coming to the village and leaving without saying anything.

Sakura sighed breaking her gaze from his. She was so relieved she couldn't possibly put into words how much. Sarada was always such an obedient child that Sakura never had any need to be harsh when disciplining her. But the scare she gave Sakura today would count for all the good she has done in the last twelve years.

Though, she supposed she couldn't really blame Sarada's intentions or find fault within them. Sarada was always curious about her father and Sakura had always had to side step all her questions regarding Sasuke. She should've known Sarada would be impatient now that she was older.

"If you want to rest a little, we can stay a little longer. But we leave right after." Sakura said sternly to Sarada. Sarada's eyes widened a little before filling with anger.

"I'm not going home." She cried in outrage which surprised Sakura.

"Yes you are going home." Sakura repeated folding her arms in front of her chest, leaning back on her chair. Sarada suddenly stood up, her chair screeching against the floor. Sakura's green eyes widened at her daughter's actions, genuinely surprised.

"No I'm not. And you can't tell me what to do because you are not my mother." She said surprising both Sakura and Sasuke before running out of the kitchen. Sakura was left to stare in shock at her daughter's retreating back. She untangled her arms and put her elbows on the table, pushing her hair back with her hands, letting out a tired sigh.

"She's with you for a few hours and your stubbornness has already rubbed off on her." She said looking at Sasuke's surprised eyes, resting her cheek on her palm. Sasuke didn't say anything, only opting to stare at her face instead.

Sakura also stared back at him, finally looking at him after what seemed to her like forever.

He was still so handsome. Thin, pale lips, pointed nose, eyes looking at her through one dark, one purple adding more mystery to him, like it was even possible. He has new scars on his face, aside from the one on his forehead that he's gotten during the war and the one on his left jar from when he had fought Deidara. There was a new long gash on his right cheek and to the left of his nose.

She knows all of his scars. The one from the right side of his ribs to the left, the one from his left side to the middle of his stomach, the one on his right thigh, the countless number of scars on his back. Even after all these years, she can still tell the littlest changes on him. What was it about him that she found so fascinating? How many times had she wished to be with him? How many times had she hoped he would come home? Since she was twelve years old, all she had done was wait for Sasuke. Wait for Sasuke to accept her, wait for Sasuke to love her, wait for Sasuke to come home.

After having so much experience in being disappointed by him, she had learned to never expect anything from him. But Sarada didn't know all this. Sarada was just waiting to spend sometime with her father, to get to know him, to hold his hand and walk around the village like other children did. Why couldn't he give this innocent child that happiness? Why couldn't he just fill her little heart with the happiness that she so craved?

As Sarada became older, it became harder and harder for Sakura to accept the decisions Sasuke had taken. Yes, she understood why he did it, understood his reasons, but how can she accept them when Sarada is looking at her with her big beautiful eyes, asking her why her father didn't love her. How can she answer that question when the most innocent creature in the face of the planet was staring at her with tear filled eyes?

There were so many moments in the last twelve years that Sakura hated Sasuke. Especially after Sarada came into theor lives, because after Sarada she refused to understand Sasuke. She could understand Sasuke abandoning her, but an innocent child who thought the world of him, how could he be so selfish?

"I don't know what to tell her. I don't know anymore lies to tell her Sasuke." she said in defeat. "Even I don't know why you continue to stay away from us…from her." She continued while Sasuke remained motionless. "You missed your child's whole childhood because you were fighting off imagined threats. Threats that you THINK will come, while she waits at home waiting for her father to come home." She wanted Sasuke to know the dangers of what he is doing, to know what he's missed. But his choice to remain unmoving has broken Sakura's resolve to stay calm. "Is it me?" she finally asked, straitening up in her chair. "If you don't want to come to a home where I am at, then I will gladly leave Sasuke, if it means she can have her father home. I can't watch her be disappointed anymore. I can't watch her as she thinks day in and day out that her father doesn't love her, I can't Sasuke." she was vaguely aware of the tears cascading down her cheeks, but it broke her heart. It broke her heart to see Sarada's small heart breaking because him.

Sasuke continued to stay unmoving, which resulted in more tears escaping her eyes. Sakura finally took a long breath, wiping any remnants of tears from her face. She sighed again, getting up from her seat. She was resolved to take her daughter and leave this place, leave this man. The two of them have survived this long without him, they can continue to do it in the future. Sarada would have to come with her, if Sakura knows her daughter at all, which she absolutely does, she was just as upset and surprised as herself about the event that has occurred. She would be able to convince her baby to go home with her. Her mind was made up as she left the kitchen and the man that had disappointed her her whole life.

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	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6- Protection

Sasuke stayed seated as Sakura brushed past him. Why hadn't he moved yet? Why hadn't he told her that there wasn't a moment since he's been away that he hasn't thought about them? Why hadn't he told her that in every turn all he wanted to do was go home to them? That the reason he hadn't gone home every one of those times is because he reminded himself of the danger his family was constantly in? Why hadn't he said anything at all?

 _12 years ago_

" _She needs to go to a hospital." Suigetsu cried in panic looking at the writhing body on the bed. Her groans and moans were the answer to Suigetsu's cry. No one moved even as she grabbed the bed sheets in her fists, screaming in pain. Sasuke remained outside the door of the dimly lit room. Kabuto stood beside the bed watching with a smirk in his face even as the woman on the bed cried out in agony._

" _No, the child would survive. I'm sure of it." Sasuke heard Kabuto say. Even as Kabuto said this, Sasuke wasn't fully sure if that were true. He was starting to think that neither the woman or the child she was caring would survive. Suigetsu was pacing back and forth inside the room, his panic clearly showing on his face. His sword and water bottle were no where to be found. Sasuke assumed he had abruptly come here at the woman's cry, abandoning everything. Unlike Sasuke, who had taken his time in arriving here after the noise had awoken him. "I will get her something for the pain." Kabuto said leaving the room at Suigetsu's insistence. Sasuke watched as he passed him by and disappeared into the dark hallway._

 _But he turned his head back as Suigetsu swore under his breath, calling Kabuto every profanity he knew. Sasuke watched as Suigetsu picked her up into his arms, though her screams continued to reverberate around the walls of the room._

" _It's okay, I got you". Suigetsu murmured as he came towards the door. Sasuke was immediately in action as he stood in the door way, blocking Suigetsu's path. Sasuke saw Suigetsu's eyes flash in anger. "Neither of them will survive if we trust that four eyed freak to do something. We have to get her to the nearest hospital or a sane medic nin." Suigetsu said in a harsh whisper. Sasuke continued to stare at the man but as another groan left the woman's lips, his eyes moved to stare at her._

 _She was drenched in sweat, her hair wild and her lips red from biting them so hard. It was abnormal for her to be in this much pain, he knew that. His eyes moved to the man who had helped him fulfill his goal of killing his brother. The man who had fought along side him. His eyes then moved to the woman's agonized face. She was the reason he had found his brother, her abilities had helped him the most and she was carrying his child. He side stepped and let Suigetsu pass. Suigetsu immediately sprang into action running as fast as he can opposite the way that Kabuto had disappeared through._

 _As her cries faded away, Kabuto hurriedly came into view. Sasuke knew that Kabuto knew something had changed. He passed Sasuke and went into the room, seeing his prized possession had disappeared from the room, he ran out in anger. But before he could get any further, Sasuke sheathed his katana and aimed it at Kabuto's neck._

" _You are done." He said quietly, his one dark eye swirling in red. Kabuto slowly turned his head towards Sasuke, making sure the sharp blade didn't touch him._

" _Your child is the perfect specimen, with Uchiha blood and amazing chakra control, it would be unstoppable. I know you want it Sasuke-kun…all that power in one small child." Kabuto's voice was barely above a whisper, his smirk back in place. "I can teach the child medicine. It would rule everything; the whole ninja world would be bowing before this child." Sasuke could almost feel the greed and the craving Kabuto had to have control over his unborn child. If the child stayed here, it would be under Kabuto's control. While the child controlled the world, the child will be controlled by Kabuto._

 _Whether this child survived or not, any future children Sasuke were to have will always be in danger of freaks like Kabuto waiting to take advantage of him and his family. There would always be treats to the only Uchiha._

 _These were Sasuke's thoughts as he left the bunker, cleaning the blood from his katana._

Present

Sasuke slammed his fist against the table as the memory washed over him. When will he ever be allowed to be happy, be free of constant fear. He stood from his chair, walking towards the hallway Sakura had disappeared through.

He heard Sakura's faint voice as he neared the room he had been occupying before the events of the day.

"Sarada, we have to go home." She said gently.

"I'm not going home until someone answers my questions." Sarada stubbornly replied. He heard Sakura sigh as he came closer to the door. He leaned his back on the wall beside the door, listening to mother and daughter.

"Your questions are not that easy to answer honey." She continued gently. Sasuke could almost imagine Sakura's green eyes softening with every word.

"I've waited twelve years for someone to answer them. I deserve some truth."

"Whether the questions are answered or not, I will still be your mother Sarada. The same one who scared away your monsters and stayed up with you when you were sick. The same one who played with you and danced with you at that recital when you were too shy. Do you remember?" Sasuke heard Sakura ask, her voice full of emotion and Sasuke was sure, eyes full of tears. He also heard a quite sniffle which he was sure came from Sarada.

"I won't love you any less even if I find answers. You would be my mom no matter what. I just want him to answer, I just want him to tell me. After that we can leave. We can go back to just the two of us like its always been." Sarada said and Sasuke was utterly surprised and impressed with her matureness. He could hardly believe she was twelve years old. Had he missed watching his daughter grow up to be this amazing person? Of course he has, and he would never get another chance. His entire life, existence is a failure and a pain to others. Constantly causing suffering to Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, Itachi, his parents and now this child he had brought to the world in an attempt to fulfill a goal.

Sasuke's anger at himself boiled inside him and he started walking away from the room that he desperately wanted to go in to. He was barely able to make it inside of the kitchen when his hands shook and finally let it fly towards the wall in front of him. The wall barely moved but his fist stayed in it as it burned. He had broken a few fingers, he was sure. He gritted his teeth because he knew he deserved it, he fell to the ground, his right hand holding on to his left which still burned. He couldn't move his fingers; they were in too much pain. He moved to rest his back on the wall he had injured his hand on, still holding on to it. Looking at it, he winced as the skin on his hand peeled, blood dripping down very slowly. He rested his head on the wall behind him, his hand still shaking because of the pain. 'Heh…I would've thought I would be immune to pain by now' he thought as he sardonically smiled at the ceiling.

Sakura walked out of the room leaving Sarada behind. There was probably no way of convincing her daughter to come home with her. And truth be told, there was a small part of her that wanted her daughter to know everything. Lying to her to keep her safe seems like a stupid thing to do when all it does is distance her from her father and even Sakura herself. She couldn't lie to her daughter anymore, everyone had kept secrets from her when she was younger and it didn't protect her…it made her feel less and less like a member of team seven.

Sakura walked into the kitchen, not wanting to see Sasuke but knowing that he will be there, possibly in the same position as she had left him, rather most likely in that position. But she was surprised as she neared the kitchen to find that he wasn't sitting on the table, she entered the kitchen wondering where he might be when as she came through the door way, she saw Sasuke sitting on the ground beside her. She looked down at him to notice his skinned fingers and instantly knew that it was broken from the way he was holding on to it. She sighed sitting cross legged in front of him. His gaze moved to her face as she sat down.

"Still so reckless." She muttered before gently taking his hand from his grasp and started healing it. He wanted to protest, but the warmth that radiated off of her chakra and because she was sitting so close to him after what felt like so many years, he let himself have this moment of peace. This moment where he wasn't following an enemy, where he wasn't thinking about running his katana through someone, where he was just him, just Sasuke enjoying having actual physical contact that won't end in him killing someone.

Sakura didn't ask him what had happened, she could guess anyway. As she finished healing him, she looked up at his pale, blank face. They stared at each other. She still held his hand in hers and he didn't move to take it away. She lifted her free hand to his face, moving his bangs from his eyes so she could look at him properly. She watched as his face came closer to hers and she wanted so badly to move closer to him, to feel his lips on her after so long, but just as he was mere centimeters away from her lips, she slightly turned her head away from his. He halted, looking at her, she could feel his eyes on her. She bit her bottom lip but he didn't move an inch even as she refused his kiss.

"I can't Sasuke…. I can't give that little girl anymore hope. I can't keep disappointing her." she murmured as her eyes filled with disappointed tears. Sakura remained still as he moved his lips and kissed her temple instead, remaining there with his lips tightly pressed to her skin for a few long seconds before standing up and walking past her.

Sakura remained sitting there, her tears falling down her cheeks and her heart cracking a little bit more. She knew she has done the right thing. Sarada's head was already filled with so much confusion, she couldn't possibly add more questions to her already full paper. Sakura didn't want to give Sarada hope that there was a chance her parents could live together only to have to break her heart when Sasuke eventually left, because he always did. It wasn't just her that would stand to get hurt now, there was a whole other person to think about. And she and Sasuke both had to think about her and do what's best for her. She couldn't selfishly follow him like she used to, she couldn't selfishly let him do to her whatever he wanted.

There was something more important in her life now that she wanted to protect. She wasn't sure Sarada will be able to handle being hurt and she will do everything in her power to make sure her baby didn't get hurt, especially because of her.

A/N: I just realized I'm not going to be able to upload all the story before I go on vacation so I'll be uploading faster so I can get the story for you guys before I leave. So expect fast uploads you guys.

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	7. Chapter 7

I hope you guys haven't given up on the story. I hope you will keep enjoying it and I promise you won't be disappointed.

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Chapter 7- Important Gift

 _12 years ago_

 _Sakura had been looking at the piece of paper in front of Kakashi from behind his hokage chair as someone knocked on the door. Kakashi signed before telling them to come in. Sakura allowed herself a small smile at her old sensei's behavior. 'Serves him right for being so lazy all his life' she couldn't help thinking._

" _Hokage-sama, Sasuke Uchiha is back." The ANBU with the tiger mask said in a hurry. Sakura and Kakashi looked at each other. Sasuke hadn't come back to the village since leaving it four months ago after the war had finally come to an end. He had gone on his redemption journey, leaving Konoha behind again, but other than getting simple notes from him letting them know his whereabouts, he hasn't visited at at ll. The note he sent Sakura a week ago hadn't mentioned it at all either. Which is why Sakura and Kakashi were surprised to hear of his return so suddenly._

 _Before Kakashi had a chance to tell the ANBU to let Sasuke in, someone pushed aside the bewildered ANBU and came in to the hokage office. If Sakura and Kakashi were surprised to hear of Sasuke's sudden return, they were stupefied seeing him carry what could only be an infant in his arms. Sakura knew her green eyes were impossibly wide, staring at the bundle in Sasuke's arms. Her heart dropped to her stomach because she instantly knew._

 _Sakura's eyes moved from the bundle to Sasuke as he fixed his uneven gaze on her, boring into her soul telling her who this child was and he didn't need to use words for her to know. She walked out from behind Kakashi's chair, walking towards the two newcomers, completely forgetting Kakashi and the ANBU who hadn't found it in himself to walk out. She stood in front of the Sasuke, her breaths coming out as pants, her eyes still wide as saucers. Sasuke didn't say anything, as Sakura lifted a shaking hand towards the blanket covering the baby, he just continued to watch her._

 _She moved the blanket aside to reveal a beautiful head of dark hair and a pale face still sleeping with their eyes closed._

" _It's a girl." She heard Sasuke murmur, which was a surprise to Sakura but she was too enamored by the most beautiful creature she has ever lain her eyes on to notice anything about him. She smiled as tears blurred her vision of the baby._

" _She's so beautiful." Sakura whispered, a little heart broken at the sight of her. "Can I…?" she asked looking up at Sasuke with her hands raised towards the baby. Sasuke nodded before gently handing the baby over to Sakura. The baby moved as she was moved from her previous position and as she was disturbed from her slumber, she woke up whining quietly at first but then becoming louder as she went into unfamiliar territory from the one she had been on for the last four days. Sakura cooed and moved the baby up and down in her arms._

" _Hold her close to your heart, she calms down at the beat." Sasuke told her as the baby continued to cry along with a distraught Sakura. She looked up at him before moving the child around in her arms, resting herlittle head right above where her heart would be. Just as Sasuke said, she only cried for a couple of more seconds before calming down, closing her eyes again._

" _You are quite the parent Sasuke." Kakashi teased from behind them. She only now noticed that he was also peering at the baby from over her shoulder._

" _I was traveling with her for four days." He offered in a way of answering Kakashi's unanswered questions._

" _How did you feed her?" Sakura asked not taking her attention away from the baby, moving her body from side to side._

" _Karin filled a few bottles and I stopped at a few villages on my way here." Sasuke replied remembering the distressed woman he had left behind in the hospital. Sakura sighed sadly hearing this but resolved to not be upset about it considering the baby was perfectly healthy, that was all that mattered._

" _Do you have a name?" She heard Kakashi ask and felt stupid for not asking earlier. She had been so distracted._

" _Sarada…Sarada Uchiha." Sasuke answered and she looked up at Sasuke knowing full well that he had been thinking of names his whole journey here. She smiled at the notion, imagining Sasuke trying to come up with the perfect name for his baby._

" _What about Karin?" Sakura hesitantly asked._

" _She told me to take her…. she was forced into this after…" Sasuke didn't finish his sentence, looking at Sakura hesitantly._

" _Is she alright?" Sakura asked feeling sad and slightly guilty however much she didn't need to feel it. Sasuke nodded his head in affirmation. She felt a little relieved at that._

" _I take it you'll be staying from now on then?" Kakashi asked returning back to his seat now that Sarada was asleep again, though Sakura continued to rock her back and forth._

" _No." Sasuke's abrupt answer took Sakura and Kakashi by surprise both looking up at him. "Not for a few months, but I will be leaving." He continued much to Sakura's annoyance. But Sakura kept her thought to herself for the moment._

" _You can leave now Hisashi." Only after Kakashi brought him to attention did everyone else notice that the ANBU was still standing near the door._

" _O-of course hokage-sama." He abruptly said, leaving the room in a hurry closing the door behind him._

" _I take it you will stay at the Uchiha manor. I had it fixed while you were away." Kakashi said smiling under his black mask. Sasuke looked at his old sensei and felt grateful for him, he had no idea where he would stay. He had a feeling Sakura would take Sarada but he couldn't expect the same treatment she gave Sarada so his plan had been Naruto but that was under desperate outcomes. But he is grateful that he wouldn't have to drop that low. Though looking at Sakura, he doubted she will ever let Sarada go which made his lips quirk up in sincere smile. "You can leave too Sakura. I don't think you'd get much done now anyway or for the next few months. But I can't give you that long." Kakashi said as Sakura looked at him with disappointment. He chuckled as Sakura pouted at him. "But I can give you a week." He said bringing a bright smile to Sakura's eyes through the tears from earlier._

 _Just as he had come, Sasuke left the room with Sakura and Sarada. Kakashi watched them with a small smile behind his mask._

 _Sakura was blissfully unaware of the glances they were getting from everyone they passed by. But Sasuke was angrily aware of them as they all but stared only looking away as Sasuke turned his angry glare their way. He quickened his steps hoping Sakura would follow, but instead she called his name making him slow down to walk beside her._

" _Can she stay with me?" she asked as her apartment came into view in the distance. They would have to pass by it anyway and Sakura just didn't want to let Sarada go. She had missed nine months and she wasn't going to miss anymore. Sasuke had a strange expression of his face as if he didn't want to spend anytime away from Sarada either. "You can – come too, if you want?" she added hesitantly unsure of what to expect from him for that offer._

 _This would be the first time they were having a real conversation, if you could all it that, since she tried to kill him. After coming back from Kabuto she had resolved to never speak to this man again for putting her through that sick experiment with that sicko. After the war she had thought she may be able to forgive him because of the mess his head was in back then, but as soon as she saw him in the village after the war, she couldn't handle it, she couldn't forgive him._

 _While he stayed with Kabuto, his dream of restoring his clan was brought to the surface only to be crushed at the failure that was that attempt. She knew she wanted children, but not that way. Not with some kind of sick experiment modeled only to create a weapon, no matter how much Sasuke wanted it at the time._

 _As if on cue, Sarada cuddled closer to Sakura, her dark hair tickling Sakura's neck. They both watched the child, now halted in the middle of the street not caring about the stares of the villagers. Sasuke lifted his hand up and moved a small patch of hair from Sarada's face. she had been born with such thick hair and a lot of it too, it reminded him of his own hair back when he was a child, always getting in the way._

" _Thank you…for bringing her to me." Sakura said as Sasuke watched Sarada._

" _Tch, who else would I bring her to?" Sasuke said as he started walking again. Sakura followed only remembering her previous question as Sasuke stood in front of her apartment door. She allowed herself a small smile before carefully rummaging her pocket for her keys._

 _Sakura laid Sarada down on her bed surrounding her with pillows before going to her closet to grab a towel and some fresh clothes for Sasuke._

" _Naruto is going to freak out when he comes back." She said handing Sasuke the clothes and towel. He smirked taking them from her as he finished drinking his glass of water. She had a few of Sasuke's own clothes at her house from back when he had no place to stay, though it hadn't lasted long. He had quickly moved in with Naruto about three weeks after for whatever reason._

 _Sakura heard her shower turn on and she sat down at her small kitchen table as reality suddenly dawned on her. She had taken full responsibility of Sarada as soon as she saw her but she had no idea how to take care of a baby and Sasuke will be leaving in a couple of months too, though she didn't really think he'd be much help anyway. As much as she knew that she would eventually get the hang of it, she knew she needed to visit someone who was already a mother. If she had known Sarada was going to come to her life, she would've read all the books in the village about it, but it had happened so suddenly, she knew nothing._

 _What does Sarada eat? It's not like she could breastfeed her, despite Sakura wishing she really could. But if Karin had given Sasuke bottled breast milk, then Sarada would've already gotten the most nutrient part. Sakura was sure Karin would've breast fed her without bottles at least once before giving her to Sasuke. Putting all that into account, it would be perfectly alright to give Sarada formula. She knew of few other ingredients she could add to the formula to make it as close to breast milk as possible though it was impossible for it to be hundred percent similar._

 _Sarada would also need a crib as well. They could sleep on the bed together for a while, but it was best for her and Sarada if she slept in a crib. And clothes, she would have to buy some clothes and either attach the Uchiha emblem herself or have a tailor do it. Though she doubted she will have time to do it herself._

 _Oh my god! She had to baby proof the apartment. 'No…no that won't be for a few months at least. Phew.' She thought as she was bombarded with questions of how to take care of an infant._

" _Why are you making that face?" she started as Sasuke said from the door way still drying his hair with the towel._

" _Sasuke, we don't have anything. Clothes, food, a crib. We are not prepared at all." She panicked looking up at him from her seat at the table, her green eyes wide and wild._

" _Sakura, stop panicking. We'll get everything." Sasuke's attempt to calm her down didn't work as he didn't really give a plan. Sakura continued to fret. "She has the only thing she needs." Sasuke added coming closer to Sakura, leaving his towel on a chair. She looked up at him with expectance, waiting for his answer. He lifted her up from the chair holding her shoulders. He stared at her green green eyes. "She has her mother." He finished softly, making tears come to her eyes as panic subsided and adoration and sadness filled it. She rested her head on his shoulder and cried for her missed opportunity and unbelievable happiness despite it._

This was an excerpt from the past. It was only supposed to be half of chapter and then back to the present but it kind of came out long.

Anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying this story. Despite me saying this probably wont be sasusaku, my inner fangirl wont allow it, so I suppose it will have sasusaku.

Rate and review if you get a chance. Thank you!


	8. Chapter 8

I really appreciate the comments you guys have been leaving because they are so respectful, something I didn't expect from the internet really because I've read some awful comments people have left for other people when they don't like the story. Really you guys are amazing.

BUT if the only thing you don't like about this story is the turn its taken I really hope you will stay because there may still be something that you all will like. ESPECICALLY if you are okay with my writing style I think you all will like my surprises in the future.

I really hope you guys will stick around and if it helps at all I am a die hard Sasusaku fan, so just remember that when you think I'm being unfaithful to the ship. Thanks again everyone for the wonderfully nice comments. Enjoy!

Chapter 8- Selfish Decisions

Sakura stood up from her seat on the ground and wiped her tears, going to sit across from Sasuke at the table. She needed to discuss with Sasuke what they were going to do about Sarada. She knew Sarada wouldn't give up trying to find answers and she preferred it if she and Sasuke could give her the answers rather than anyone else.

"Sarada's not leaving without some answers, if not all." She said sitting down trying to avoid looking at him. He remained quite for a while and she could tell he was watching her.

"Are you okay with telling her everything?" he finally asked and she would've laughed if the implications weren't so serious. Does he think she hadn't told Sarada the truth because she thought she would come out as the bad guy? That's rich coming from him.

"I'm not the reason I haven't told her the truth Sasuke." she said and his eyes hardened at her. she wasn't scared of him; he can squint his eyes at her all he wants but the truth was still the truth. Sakura wasn't given a choice, but he was and Sakura couldn't bring herself to say it was the wrong choice since the end result was Sarada, but he definitely chose it for the wrong reasons.

"Will she hate me?" she was shocked at his question and the tiny amount of desperation in his eyes. She sighed, her eyes softening. Maybe she could be a little nicer to him, he didn't deserve to be treated like a criminal.

"If you decide to tell her, you are going to have to accept that…that's a possibility." She told him gently. He looked away from her, avoiding her eyes but she didn't miss the sadness in them. "But Sasuke… I think lies lead people to do things, impulsive things that they can't come back from. We've lied to her telling ourselves that…we are protecting her, but really we are pushing her further and further away from us." She wanted to add more but feared what his reaction would be, but she was making a point and she needed to show him the evidence. She took a deep breath before continuing, "Wouldn't everything have been simpler…if your brother had been honest with you?" Though she was afraid he would lash out at her, he only continued to stare into space thinking it over. He wasn't as irrational and impulsive as he used to be, Sakura knew that. It was then that she remembered they weren't 18 year olds clamoring about not knowing what to do. They were adults with experience and knowledge about life, they were wiser and wasn't as selfish as they used to be.

 _12 years ago_

 _Karin had no idea what was happening. All she was aware of was unbearable pain like someone was trying to break her in half. She knew she was moving because every jostle and movement added to her pain._

" _Just hold on a little longer." She heard Suigetsu's voice from somewhere but she couldn't pay attention enough to tell where he was. She wanted to nod her head 'yes' but she couldn't, she couldn't hold on. But his voice helped her to keep herself grounded, to remind herself that he was right by her side. She knew childbirth would be painful, but she didn't know it would be this painful. Which is why she was sure this was unusual and she didn't know if either she or the baby would survive. She listened to Suigetsu's voice as he attempted to calm her down while she continued to scream._

" _She's in labor but something's wrong." She heard him say to someone but she was only aware of the fact that she had stopped moving, but the pain seemed to have increased tenfold. She screamed louder if at all possible and more tears escaped as the possibility that this child she had been carrying for the last nine months wouldn't survive._

 _It was long and tiring and she only remembered screaming and pushing and Suigetsu holding her hand telling her she was fine. But finally the baby came out and Karin slumped down on the pillow, drenched in sweat and tears. She felt Suigetsu rubbing her head but she was so tired she couldn't even open her eyes. She was vaguely aware of someone handing her the baby and she took it in her arms, her tears of relief replacing her tears of agony. She looked at the beautiful onyx eyes of the baby as she cried, only stopping as Karin hugged her close to her. Karin allowed herself this small moment despite adamantly refusing to feel happy while she was pregnant._

 _After a few hours of rest, she was awakened by the baby's crying and Suigetsu immediately gave her to Karin. As Karin opened up her shirt, she hungrily latched on. They both watched in adoration at the child whom neither of them were supposed to bond with._

" _Sasuke's outside." Suigetsu said hesitantly. "What do you want to do?" he asked her. She looked up at him. "I didn't want to tell him anything without asking you first." He added gently._

 _Karin swallowed trying to push the lump down her throat, "Nothing's changed. If he's going to take her to Konoha, he should do it." She said even as tears filled her eyes. She and Suigetsu had planned it all. She wasn't going to let this child be used by Kabuto. If Sasuke wasn't going to take care of his child, she will._

 _The plan had been for Suigetsu to sneak her away to Konoha but since Sasuke also appeared to be on board, he can take her back and keep her safe. Just as she was buttoning up her shirt, they both heard a knock. Sasuke came in a moment later looking at her with what she could only assume is suspicion._

" _Take her Sasuke." she said softly, her eyes brimming with fresh tears. "I wasn't going to keep her." she choked out as Sasuke came closer. She saw him hesitantly bring the baby close to him. Her heart ached like never before as he walked out with the baby, the door closing behind him. Her tear filled eyes turned to Suigetsu. He came and laid down beside her, hugging her tightly to him as he rocked her back and forth as she sobbed._

 _She had never wanted children. That was a decision she had made when she was barely fifteen years old. She had been through too much, she had seen too much for her to bring an innocent being into this cruel and unforgiving world. Even before starting a relationship with Suigetsu she had told him her wishes because she wasn't going to be in a relationship with him if he wanted kids. But then he had told her that he felt the same way. Both of them have been experimented on and been treated like trash by the world and bringing an unsuspecting vulnerable being to this world was the last thing either of them wanted. She had stayed true to her decision until she was forced into this sick experiment by Kabuto and Sasuke. She didn't think she could ever forgive either of them for the pain they've caused her, not only physically but emotionally as well. And she definitely couldn't forgive them for the pain they've caused Suigetsu as he watched the woman he loved carrying another man's child against her will._

 _She cried her heart out as Suigetsu continued to rock her back and forth._

Present

Suigetsu pushed her further against the wall as he moved his lips down to her neck, sucking hard on her pulse point. Karin pushed him away, laughing at his whining for being interrupted.

"We should head back." She said while he looked at her, though he didn't move back at all, his eyes burning with heat and slight anger at not being allowed to continue.

"Tch…they'll have a lot to talk about." He said going back to her neck, kissing up and down her neck.

"Do you think he'll tell her?" she asked after a moment, stopping Suigetsu on his track. He sighed, knowing his chance was gone.

"Don't you think he should? Its been twelve years." He said moving back from her, allowing her some space.

"What would happen…do you think?" she asked fearfully. Suigetsu looked at her in confusion. "Do you think she'll hate me for giving her away?" she added at his look of confusion.

"No, I don't think she will." He assured her though she didn't seem so sure. "If she was going to hate anyone, it would be Sasuke." He said as Karin bit her lip. "But… let's go back." He said taking her hand in his, squeezing it lightly.

Sasuke looked back up at Sakura as she gave him space to think like she always does. What would he do if Sarada hated him? Though, it wasn't like he had much of a relationship with her anyway. But, if she hated him, his dream of ever sharing a home with his wife and child would be taken away from him. His dream of ever being happy would be taken from him.

He had wanted so much to be able to kiss Sarada goodnight every night and hug Sakura close to him as they fell asleep.

Sakura was right, he had put all these aside to fight treats that haven't even come yet. He had pushed all his feelings aside to go _look_ for threats. It was time to face the consequences of his decisions. At the time it hadn't felt like selfishness, but now he wasn't so sure. How had he made Sakura, who has waited for him all her life, wait longer for him? How had he made his innocent child think she wasn't worth loving? How had he been so blind as to hurt the two people he loved the most in the world?

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Let me know how you like it. I'll post another chapter so hopefully at least some of your questions will be answered.

Thank you.


	9. Chapter 9

I hope you guys are still with me. This chapter is dedicated to all of you who have stuck around with the story despite all my twists and turns. I think you guys all will be pleasantly surprised with this chapter.

Now without further ado…Enjoy!

Chapter 9- Finally, the answers!

 _13 years ago_

 _Sasuke wasn't entirely sure where the medic nin had come from, but he supposed that since this used to be one of Orochimaru's hideouts, his former henchmen will definitely be one of the few who had access to it. He himself has come here to take a break from Madara who was obsessively going through the plans of the invasion that is to come in mere months. As the time got closer and closer, the old man was becoming more and more insistent of Sasuke's help and truth be told he didn't even know what he wanted anymore. He has hoped and assumed that Orochimaru's hideouts would now be empty, but it seems he cannot catch a break._

" _Sasuke-kun! What a surprise?" Kabuto's obviously fake smile and enthusiasm got on Sasuke's nerves. It was clear that Kabuto has seen better days from the ragged white hair and the wrinkled clothes he wore. Sasuke almost wanted to ask why he looked like he hasn't left the hideout on ages but decided he couldn't care less._

" _Hn." His usual reply didn't surprise the medic nin. From living with the young man, Kabuto knew Sasuke was a man of few words, especially during his time with Orochimaru. But Kabuto really was surprised to see him back in one of these hideouts. Last he heard Sasuke had joined yet another evil organization. But this could put a damper of his latest experiment so it would be best if the Uchiha could leave as soon as possible. Though he couldn't really make himself seem too eager to be left alone lest the boy suspects something. Damn! He had to show up just at the time he was really making some headway in the experiment. Things could get complicated if Sasuke decided to venture into the hideout too much._

" _Already tired of the Akatsuki Sasuke-kun?" Kabuto asked just as Sasuke was heading deeper into the hideout. As expected Sasuke didn't answer, only continuing to venture deeper into the cave. Sasuke didn't owe this man anything and he hadn't much liked the two faced cunning man even back them. Sasuke instead went in search of an empty room that will allow him to rest. He, however, didn't fail to notice Kabuto's anxiousness to get rid of him. Kabuto was definitely up to something; he just couldn't find it in himself to care._

 _After finding a slightly clean room with an empty bed that had dust flying off it as soon as he sat down, he laid down on the mattress with one hand behind his head looking up at the ceiling. The two of them can mind their own business, Sasuke wouldn't look too much into his sick experiments as along as Kabuto didn't look to much into his life. These were Sasuke's final thoughts as he finally went into another nightmare filled sleep._

 _When Sasuke finally awoke he wasn't sure how long he had slept. He remembered that that was one of the things he has liked about these hideouts. He could spend the whole day training and go into the next days and he wouldn't know it. In the Akatsuki hideouts, there wasn't a lot of time to spend in the actual hideout. There were always missions and he barely has anytime to train unless he ran into Naruto sometime. The blond always puts up a big fight._

 _Sasuke continued to stay in bed for longer still facing the ceiling. He was so tired of this ridiculousness. He has assumed he would be free after he killed his brother. Instead, Itachi's death had only confined him to another prison. When will it end? When will he find purpose again? Right now he's just going along with other people's plans. When will he stop being a pawn in other people's games and have a place for himself, a plan for himself? Is this life even worth living, just floating about with no destination going where the wind carries you? Sasuke let out a heavy sigh just as his thought process ended._

 _He supposed it was about time he went back to Madara, as much as he detested it. That was the only purpose he has right now, if he didn't have even that he might just go insane…finally._

 _When Sasuke walked out of the room he had previously occupied, he saw Kabuto walk towards him from further inside the hideout. Sasuke only continued to walk but his eyes narrowed as the footsteps behind him quickened and slowed as Kabuto came into step with Sasuke. His only response was to look at Kabuto from the corner of his onyx eyes for a brief moment before looking ahead again._

" _Sasuke-kun…I have a proposition for you." Kabuto started, his fake smile and insincere voice still in place. Sasuke paid him no heed as he continued to walk. There was nothing that Kabuto was capable of giving him. Kabuto momentarily frowned but continued anyway. "I have just gotten some positive results from an experiment that would allow me to create an ultimate weapon. A weapon that will have the power to conquer the whole ninja world." Kabuto could tell that he now had the Uchiha's attention, they both continued to walk though Sasuke was now intrigued. "Everyone will bow down before this weapon…even the Akatsuki." Kabuto has made his final argument; this would decide whether the Uchiha is on board or not. But Kabuto was fairly certain what the Uchiha's answer will be which made a slight, barely visible smirk to form on his tired face._

 _A weapon stronger than the Akatsuki? Sasuke was intrigued but doubtful. But it will allow him to control the whole of the ninja world. Sasuke's eyes yet again narrowed as he stopped walking, effectively stopping Kabuto as well. They faced each other._

" _What's the catch? Why are you telling me this?" Sasuke was skeptical. He was sure the snake had some ulterior motive for telling Sasuke this._

" _Nothing that you won't be able to give me." Kabuto smiled knowing that the cat was almost in the bag._

" _Which is…?" Sasuke prodded impatiently._

" _A deal…to keep me by your side when you are in power." He said simply. Sasuke contemplated this. It sounded simple enough and he had always known that Kabuto was a follower he wasn't a leader which is why it makes sense for him to struck up a deal like that. He just wanted protection from a much stronger person, which would be Sasuke with this powerful weapon._

" _That's all?" he asked skeptically looking at the man._

" _No, that's not all." Kabuto said, making Sasuke narrow his eyes once again. "I am going to need a sample of your sperm." Sasuke stared at the four eyed ninja, his face an emotionless mask. At Sasuke's continued silence, Kabuto opened his mouth to explain his experiment but before he could Sasuke had already started to walk away._

" _I'm not interested." He said as he disappeared into the darkness._

" _Tch! So close." Kabuto whispered in annoyance._

 _Sasuke's foot collided with another branch before he lifted his foot again to land on the next. He had an idea of what Kabuto's plan might be and if he were right he didn't think he wanted to be a part of it. His feet slowed as another thought struck him. Would Kabuto really be able to create something so powerful? He was Orochimaru's henchman and Sasuke knew first hand how powerful Orochimaru had been and Kabuto was a huge part of that success and he had watched Orochimaru work for many years. Sasuke would never be able to achieve such a goal with a normal process. And if Sasuke was right, he himself wouldn't have to do any work until later. The plan seems rather foolproof when you think about it. Plus, it would give him what he desperately needed…a sense of purpose._

 _Sasuke's next step had him turning around back towards Orochimaru's old hideout._

 _Kabuto was surprised to see Sasuke back again and he didn't try to hide it. His eyes showed surprise as Sasuke came to stand in front of him._

" _I see you've changed your mind." He remarked but Sasuke wasn't amused. If he was going to be a part of this, he would know all about it._

" _Talk." Sasuke's demand was clear and Kabuto didn't hesitate to elaborate._

" _I assume you know how a child is created?" Kabuto asked making Sasuke's angry onyx eyes to turn to him. Of course he knew, he just wanted Kabuto to get to the point without asking meaningless questions. "Well… I will be combining your sperm and a female egg to create a perfect specimen." Kabuto's eyes gleamed with the anticipation._

" _How can you make sure it is successful?" Sasuke asked because he wasn't going to get his hopes up on just ideas._

" _That's my successful experiment." Kabuto smirked as the lab results of all the fetuses that hadn't survived the experiment and the one that did. This would make certain if the experiment was ready for human trials though he wasn't going to tell Sasuke that. "The embryo will be created in the lab and I will make sure that it is successful before inserting the being in the womb." Kabuto was almost giddy._

 _He really only needed Sasuke's sperm and not Sasuke at all. But it would be easy to take control of the weapon later. Right now he needed Sasuke and he would let Sasuke believe that he was in charge._

 _So Sasuke was right. He wouldn't actually have to do any work until the child is older. But there were so many unanswered questions and he wasn't going to take part in it until he knows everything._

" _Where will you get the egg?" he inquired. It was doubtful that a weapon that powerful can be created with only his genes._

 _Kabuto chuckled before looking Sasuke in the eyes. "That's the best part…I already have her, I just need your sample and I will take it from her. She will stay here for the next nine to ten months where I will give her everything she needs." Kabuto finished with a sick smile on his face. Sasuke hadn't known someone else was in the hideout with them. He couldn't feel any chakra signatures. "Would you like to meet her?" Kabuto asked suddenly, making Sasuke snap his onyx eyes at him. He supposed he should meet the mother of his child, chances were this would be the first and last time he would see her. She would be taking care of the child until he can actually use the child._

" _Hn." Kabuto assumed this was the affirmation he needed and started walking deeper inside the hideout with Sasuke following behind._

" _Your child will be powerful not just because of you…but because of her too. They will embody the power of destruction." Kabuto stopped in front of a door and put his hand on the golden knob. Sasuke stared at Kabuto indifferently. The child would be powerful even with a civilian mother with their bloodline limit and with Sasuke as a mentor but it seems she will be a ninja which would only add to the power._

" _Sasuke-kun…meet the mother of your child…" Kabuto declared as he pushed open the door allowing Sasuke the view of the room._

 _It took Sasuke only a moment to register the person laying on a bed in the middle of the room. Her eyes were closed, but anyone who knew her would instantly recognize her. Sasuke's eyes widened to their full extent, his heart pounding against his ribcage as he recognized the unconscious form of his former teammate._

"… _Sakura Haruno." Kabuto finished dramatically but Sasuke needed no introductions._

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I hope you guys are surprised with this, but I was sure you guys would already guess this. Anyway, this was my big revelation. Hope you guys enjoyed it.

Remember to leave a review and let me know if you guys liked my round about way of telling this story. I would love your feedback, especially those who thought that Karin was the biological mother. Have a good day!


	10. Chapter 10

I got the most amazing review from eliimg that was just lovely. I really appreciate your kind words and it's nice to know that people like you exist in the world of the internet where people just say the most awful things. So, this chapter is dedicated to you. Thanks, I hope you stick around because its people like you that make me want to keep writing stories. Thank you for the support and I hope you will enjoy this story.

Thanks everyone else who commented and/or liked it as well, please continue to let me know how you are finding the story so far.

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Chapter 10- Disappointments

Sarada stared with wide eyes at her father, tears brimming at the rim of her eyes. Her gaze turned to her mother sitting beside her on the bed. Her mother's kind and sad eyes made her turn back towards the cold eyes of her father sitting on a chair in front of her. It didn't take long for her anger to boil and turn into rage.

"You are a monster." She managed to somehow keep her voice in control though her vision was completely blurry. She saw something akin to sadness in his eyes for a moment but she couldn't find it in herself to sympathize with this horrible person.

"Sarada…" her mother attempted gently to calm her down. But she was all rage, her fists trembling at her sides as she stood up, her father following suit abruptly standing so so tall, so so far.

"I hate you…I hate you so much. You might be my father but you will never hear me call you that." Her growling was only stopped by the resonating slap that stung her soft cheek. Her eyes widened even more, her hand having automatically cradled her stinging cheek. Her brimming tears finally escaped as her eyes finally landed on where the slap had come from. Her shocked and sad eyes turned to the equally shocked and sad green eyes of her mother. Her mother's hand flew towards her own face as it covered her mouth in shock.

As the tears flowed down her face, Sarada pushed past both her parents and ran out of the room. She didn't even notice the two figures that were in front of her as she pushed past them as well.

"Looks like she found her answers." Suigetsu said looking at Karin as she watched Sarada's back.

Sarada ran and ran finally making it out of the maze like hideout. The sun hit her eyes and she squinted her puffy and red eyes with tears still falling out of them. Small sobs escaped her and her small shoulders shook. She finally walked over to the nearest tree and sat down under it with her back resting on the bark.

He had wanted her because she was a weapon. He had wanted to use her to hurt the world, to hurt the very people she cared the most about. And her mother hadn't even had a choice in having her. How did her mother not hate her? How did she care about her so much when she had destroyed her youth with an unwanted child from an unloving man? Thoughts of her mother lead her to the resounding slap. Her small hand went up to her cheek.

Her mother had never hit her before. And it was all that horrible man's fault too. She and her mother were both hurting so much because of his selfishness. Until now her image of her father had been one of power. She imagined him to be someone who no one would trifle with, who everyone respected because he was so strong. She had respected him. As mad as she was because of his obvious abandonment, she was still filled with pride just at the thought of him because of all the great things her mother had told her about him. Now that image in her head is replaced by the image of the monster that wanted to make a weapon out of her. The monster that had ruined her mother's life at the age of seventeen for the sake of power.

Sakura sat back down on the bed still shocked from the events of the last few minutes. Tears escaped from her wide eyes and her heart ached at the surprised look of her daughter's face as the slap resounded inside the small dark room. A sob escaped her lips as Sarada's dark eyes, filled with what could only be betrayal, had looked up at her. What could she be thinking right now? That her own mother had abandoned her for someone who wasn't even there half of the time?

But…that's not what had happened. She didn't even know what had happened. But she knows Sasuke's reasons, she may not agree with them, but she understands them and she knows despite everything, Sasuke loved Sarada…more than life itself. She couldn't bare the pain that has passed across his pale face at Sarada's words. If nothing else, Sakura had taught Sarada to respect her elders, most of all her parents. And Sasuke didn't deserve that, not from the one person he treasured the most in his life.

"I've never hit her before. I've never needed to." He muttered, may be to Sasuke, may be to herself, she wasn't entirely sure. Sakura stood up, wiping her face with the heel of her palm and walked out of the room intending to find her daughter, leaving Sasuke behind.

Sasuke finally found his mobility and sat down on the hard surface of the bed where his wife and child had been sitting. His heart ached, the pain reminding him of the night, now so many years ago, his family had been killed by the person he loved the most. How is it possible he is being denied happiness so many times?

The first time his family was taken from him, he had no idea why it had happened. Why life was so cruel and wicked. But he couldn't blame confusion anymore because he knew exactly why his family was breaking apart. Him and his stupidity. Him and his decisions. Him and his fears. Sasuke felt he should find Sarada and comfort her as much as she didn't want it, but he felt so out of place, like he didn't belong with the two of them. He felt as if the two of them will be happier without him. Just as he had slowly chipped away at Sakura's life, he feared he may be slowly chipping away at Sarada's too.

Sakura walked through the cave, turning left and right trying to find her daughter's small chakra signature. She had no idea where Sarada could be. According to Karin and Suigetsu, who she hadn't even had time to say hi to, she had come this way. Sakura wasn't sure what Sarada might do in her haste. She didn't want her running away again. She hurried her footsteps as that thought crossed her mind. Finally finding the small flicker of chakra, she hurried towards it, knowing Sarada was above ground.

Stepping out into the sunlight, she put her arm in front of her to cover her eyes from the bright light of the sun. Squinting her emerald eyes and running them over the surrounding area, she found her daughter under the tree across from her, with her knees pulled to her chest and her chin resting on her knees.

Her heart gave out at the tortured look on her small, pale face. Sakura let out a sigh before walking towards Sarada. She looked up at her with red tear filled eyes. Sakura sat down beside her, her own knees pulled half way to her chest. she didn't say anything because she didn't know what to say to make her understand how sorry she was. Before she could make up her mind though, Sarada spoke up, her voice small and trembling.

"Do you hate me?" the question was so absurd, Sakura looked at her daughter with eyes as wide saucers unable to find where the question has come from. She couldn't believe that that stupid slap has caused her to think such a thing.

"What!?" she finally asked, finding her voice. "What would make you think such a thing?" she asked incredulously. Sarada hesitated for a moment contemplating telling her mother everything just like always.

"Because you didn't choose to have me. Because I was forced on you because of…him." She said, her eyes filling with fresh tears. Sakura looked at her daughter with saddened eyes. She knew that Sarada already thought her father didn't love her, now here she was thinking the same about her mother.

"That's true…I didn't choose to have you." She finally said looking up at the blue skies, not a cloud in sight. She saw from the corner of her eyes as Sarada's head dropped even lower if possible. "But I can't believe, after spending so much time together, you would think such a thing." She said leaning her head back on the bark of the tree.

"But mama…how can you possibly love me?" she asked, still unsure. Its not that she didn't believe her mother loved her. It was that…how? For twelve years her mother had been both her mother and father and as she grew up, her mother became her best friend. There is nothing she wouldn't tell her mother. For such a long time, it was just she and her mother. Before this, she knew that her mother loved her more than life itself because aside from telling her every chance she got, her mother showed it to her as well. Through the nights her mother stayed by her when she was scared, through times her mother had chased away the monsters under her bed, through the sleep overs she had had in her mother's room when she felt lonely, through the kimonos and the dresses she had tried on that belonged to her mother while her mother did her make up, through the way she would glare at anyone who dared to call her "the Uchiha brat", through the tears her mother would cry when she thought Sarada wasn't looking. Through all of it, she knew her mother loved her, but how could she, how could she love the thing that took away her youth from her, took away her chance to be with a man who really loved her?

"Because you are so adorable, that's why." Sakura teased, pinching her daughter's already pink cheeks. Sarada's surprised dark eyes snapped to her mother's green eyes that she had always wished she had inherited. Her mother smiled at her and that smile reminded her of something, something that made her forget her question because it was irrelevant.

Sakura crossed her legs tucking one under the other and motioned for Sarada to come closer. She didn't hesitate in quickly sitting on her mother's lap while her mother wrapped her arms around her small body pulling her back closer towards her mother's body. With the back of her head resting on her mother's shoulder, she leaned back also looking up at the sky just as her mother had been. He felt her mother's lips land on her head with a gentle kiss that she held for so many seconds but Sarada still wished lasted longer.

Why? What a stupid question. Her mother didn't need a reason to love her. It doesn't matter why he loved her. It mattered that she does. It mattered that her mother would pull her close when she was upset, it mattered that her mother cried at her sadness. It mattered that she was here, protecting her and loving her. Why did she ever felt the need to find her father when her mother was all she needed, when her mother had never let her feel the absence of her father? They didn't need anyone else, they just needed each other, that was all that mattered.

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 **To: naruhina (Guest):** You are partly right but not entirely about the story, I guess you'll just have to keep reading. Thanks for the review I really appreciate you guys letting me know what you think about the story, but I do have to disagree with your take on the idea that the person who carried you to term is automatically your mother. There is so much more to being a mother than giving birth. That's just one tiny part of being a mother, the rest is taking care of them and loving them until, basically, you die. If that were the case, then surrogacy or even adoption wouldn't work. Being able to give birth just means you are physically capable of it, being a mother is so much more than having the physical capability to do so. I am happy that you will not give up on this story though because I think you will like it. Please continue to let me know how you like the story. Thank you.


	11. Chapter 11

Heres the next chapter and I'll post another one tomorrow as soon as I edit it. Enjoy you guys.

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Chapter 11: Forgiveness

 _Sasuke watched as Sakura bounced the baby up and down in her arms. Watching the two of them, Sasuke's whole body seem to almost freeze with the emotions overtaking him. His heart thumping loudly in his, previously thought to be hallow, chest. Sasuke sat at Sakura's small kitchen table with a cup of tea in his hand while Sakura stood a few feet away from him making happy faces at Sarada. Her green eyes widening each time her smile grew. A sight he had been sure he would never witness again after their last encounter._

 _After the war and he had come back to the village he had apologized profusely for his actions, in the best way Sasuke could as an Uchiha. She had of course been livid about the incident and had of course been mad at him for longer than anyone had been mad at him. For so long she had avoided him, whether it was out of anger or sadness, he had no idea. By the time he found his answer, a whole month had passed since his return and she had slapped him across the face after Naruto had tricked her into coming to Ichiraku promising that Sasuke won't be there._

 _Sasuke had been utterly confused at her lack of a reaction the first time he apologized, but he assumed it had caught up to her and before he knew it she was raising her arm to punch him sending him flying across the street hitting the large tree across the restaurant. Sasuke remained quiet and still as she straddled him and hit him wherever she could over and over and over again until he was all bruises and blood. He watched her above him as she cried, her eyes spilling tears and her nose running. He had no right to stop her and she had every right to punish him as she saw fit. So he let her. After he was all black, blue, red and basically a mess, she stood up and walked away not giving him a second glance. He knew, even without a word from her, that he will never be forgiven for what he had done to her, that he had finally hurt her to the point of hatred._

 _Four months later, he walked into the village with a baby she had thought was long gone and out of her reach._

 _Sakura couldn't take her eyes off Sarada. She was so beautiful with a full head of thick, dark hair and a small smile on her thin lips. Sakura had been unconscious for her rescue nine months ago. After waking up in Konoha hospital she had scrambled out of bed knowing full well where Kabuto's experiment had lead. But she had been assured that the team that found her found no trace of anything like that. Even after Sasuke's return, it had been understood, reasonably, that nothing came of the experiment. It was understood by both that neither would ever see the face of their would-have-been child._

 _But seeing Sasuke, four months later, walking in with that same child was heart wrenchingly happy. This was her child, she may not have conceived her in the conventional way and she may not even have carried her, but Sarada was hers all the same and Sakura would love her like no other. She didn't care that she had vowed to never speak to Sasuke again, she didn't care that she had promised herself she would make herself stop loving him, she didn't care about any of that because he had brought her to her. Against every doubt and all odds, Sakura was now holding her daughter because of him, nothing else matters. If nothing else, she was thankful to him for that._

 _Because, while she was tied to that bed in that dark cave cursing the two men that she knew was responsible for to the fiery pits of hell, all she had been able to think about was this innocent being,_ her child, _who will be robbed of everything a child should have. This vicious cycle of pain and hatred that she is so familiar with not ending with her generation._

 _Kabuto never kept her up too long, she was always on sedatives so strong that even after coming back she had a hard time keeping her eyes open until the sedatives left her system. But in her hazy mind, she had imagined what it would be like to raise this child, she vaguely remembered having resolved to take the child away from these people and giving it everything she had imagined she would one day give her child. But waking up in Konoha, she had known that it was impossible, without her there was no way for them to carry the child, no way for the child to survive. To distract herself from the fact that she would never be able to hold her first child, she had resolved to hating the two men who had put her in that position._

 _Which is why, after Sasuke came back after the war, she had refused to talk to him or have anything to do with him. The first time Naruto invited her to lunch with "team 7", she had told him there will be no more team 7. It had saddened her to tell him that because she knew, of all people, how much he had been looking forward to this. But she couldn't, not even for Naruto, pretend to enjoy a meal sitting beside the man that had ruined her life. She had refused any contact with him, had refused to go to any place where he would be present and had even refused to treat him at his check ups at the hospital, which Kakashi had allowed under the circumstances. Naruto was the only one who fully didn't give up on the idea of the three of them being in one room together. He understood what she had gone through and after her rescue he had been her best friend through it to the best of his abilities with a war going on. But team 7 was still the only family he had known and he found it hard to give up on. There wasn't a conversation they had in which he didn't try to make Sakura understand that he hadn't been himself back then, that he was surrounded by such darkness he himself wouldn't have known what he was doing._

 _And she was sure she would have forgiven him had it been anything else, but she couldn't. She couldn't forgive him for this. For a while it had seemed like Naruto had given up on the idea until he invited her to lunch and when she got there Sasuke was there as well, even after Naruto had confirmed he wouldn't be there._

 _Until then she had thought that Sasuke didn't even deserve to be acknowledged by her, that she wouldn't even waste her breath on him because she was done with him. But seeing him brought back all the pain in her and she just snapped. She had slapped him, she had hit him and she had punched him until she was too tired to carry on. It was there that she decided she was finally done. She was finished with him and after that incident even Naruto gave up on trying to get her to hang out with Sasuke. As much as it didn't take her pain away to hurt him like that, it still made her feel a little better to have had hurt him and finally get some closure and it had helped in her resolve to cut off any ties with him._

 _The next time she saw him was in Kakashi's office, carrying the child both of them had thought hadn't survived._

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please Rate and Review. Thank you.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: True Happiness

 _After it seemed like Sakura was never going to take her eyes off the baby, Sasuke finally asked her to show her the bathroom. She sheepishly smiled, feeling slightly guilty about having ignored his presence and reluctantly handed Sarada to Sasuke and went into one of the two rooms inside the apartment. She came back with a light blue towel, a black shirt and a pair of grey sweat pants._

" _Its right here Sasuke." She said from her hallway gesturing her hand to the room beside the room she had come from. He handed Sarada back to Sakura, who happily took her back, and vaguely wondered why Sakura had men's clothes so readily available._

 _Sasuke undressed, scowling at the smell coming from himself. He stepped into the creamy tub and turned the faucet relishing the feel of the warm water running over his grimy body. He felt strange, like someone was lifting rocks off his body. He felt strangely like his body wasn't his own, as though he was looking down at himself. An odd sense of freedom surrounded him as he felt like he was about to loose balance, putting his one arm to the tile leaning his weight on it. He closed his eyes tightly trying to get a hold of himself but his vision was filled with Sakura as she bounced Sarada in her arms happily smiling her usual bright smile._

 _Seeing Sakura behind his closed eyelids was nothing new to Sasuke. For the past four months that's all he had seen anytime his eyes were closed. The first time it had startled him and he had opened his eyes to the dark room Kakashi had given him for the time being. After she refused to see him following his return to Konoha, he had closed his eyes whenever he can just to see her._

 _What surprised Sasuke this time however wasn't that, but the image he saw changed. It wasn't of her lying on an uncomfortable bed in a cave or her crying or her beating him up. In this one, she was smiling the brightest smile, which is something he has never been able to conjure up in his head. As the image behind his closed eyes continued to play, with Sakura smiling and Sarada looking up at her with large black eyes, Sasuke's own mouth turned up in a smile._

 _Sasuke opened his eyes, rubbing Sakura's coconut shampoo in his hair, endlessly thankful she didn't use something overly girly, like strawberry. Ugh._

 _Even after he had cleaned himself of all the sweat and grime, Sasuke stayed under the running water. It felt so good to clean himself this thoroughly. During his travels, more often than not, he has to clean himself near a river or a stream. It wasn't very often that he got to stay under a shower with warm water raining down on him. He also couldn't help being aware of himself when he was around Sakura. It wasn't like when he was younger and he just minded his own business not caring about either of his teammates. Now it was like he didn't know what to do. What was he supposed to do with his hands? Where was he supposed to look? Things that were so inconsequential were bothering him when he was with her. And where the hell had she found him clothes from so fast? Did someone sleep over often that they have to keep their things at Sakura's house? Or did someone sleep over and forget their things? But then that would mean this person left without any clothes on…that was more disturbing. Either way…someone was naked in this apartment aside from…the resident._

 _Wondering why he felt this way about Sakura, his mind has asked him an even graver question._

 _When did he stop feeling this way about Sakura?_

 _He didn't know when exactly it had happened, but he suspected it didn't start at any one moment, but rather it combined various moments from his time in team seven. He had always been protective of her, had always found her face without a smile unacceptable, had always always been grateful for her feelings for him, had always counted on her feelings for him. When had he stopped thinking about Sakura like that?_

 _He supposed he knew the answer to that as well. Both Naruto and Sakura had been the main reason why he defected in the first place. During his time with Orochimaru, he had stopped seeing her like that. Then she had become someone who wanted to take his life's goal from him just as Naruto. When had his friends become so disposable for him? As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was disgusted with himself._

 _He turned off the facet and stepped out of the tub and dried himself off, grudgingly getting into the clothes Sakura had handed him, only because he didn't have anything else. He decided not to go deeper into why these clothes bothered him so much, that was a can of worms he'd leave for later, if ever._

 _The next week was spent in Sakura's apartment because she refuses to part with Sarada and because Sasuke too refuses to go back to the compound without Sarada. He slept in Sakura's uncomfortable, small couch which he had forsaken after the first two days to the good old floor. Sakura and Sarada slept on Sakura's, what Sasuke was sure was comfortable, bed. Sarada slept most of the day and night, but some nights she would awaken both Sakura and Sasuke with her cries, at which time Sasuke would run into the room in fear only to see Sakura struggling to calm the baby down. Both Sasuke and Sakura would panic because she wouldn't stop crying and Sarada would eventually fall sleep minutes before her parents have to start their day._

 _With the frustration of not being able to sleep both due to Sarada and the floor, Sasuke finally suggested that Sakura move into the compound with them. There were too many beds with no one to sleep on in there while Sasuke suffered on the floor. Sarada could even have her own room, though Sasuke doubted Sakura would let that happen. After another week, a lot of hesitation from Sakura and much much convincing from Sasuke, Sakura, Sarada and Sasuke took permeant residence in the Uchiha compound._

 _Sasuke had known that the whole thing was pretty much ruble after the war, so he was surprised to walk in and find one house, brand new standing erect in the middle where his old house used to be. Even though it looked similar to his old house from the outside, it looked completely different from the inside. It wasn't as large as it used to be, but it still had three rooms and two bathrooms. He didn't know how he could possibly thank Kakashi for this, but he was eternally grateful._

 _Sasuke gave the master bedroom to Sakura because it had a bigger bed in it and enough room for both Sakura and Sarada and their things. He took one of the other rooms because he didn't have many things and he didn't really need that much space._

 _His first week back in the village had been spent at Kurenai's house because she was the only person Sakura knew who had a baby. Sasuke watched with baby Sarada in his arms as Sakura furiously took note of everything Kurenai said. Sasuke internally laughed at Sakura's seriousness because she looked like she was studying for a test. Kurenai offered to give Mirai's old clothes but Sasuke only had to look at Sakura once for her to answer "no" but much more politely than Sasuke would have. He'd be damned if he took charity._

 _After buying everything that Sakura deemed necessary, which was almost everything the baby store had on shelf, Sasuke thanked his deceased parent for their small fortune. Throughout the whole ordeal, Sasuke didn't miss the mistrustful and almost hateful looks the whole village seem to throw their way. While Sakura seems to not even notice their gaze, Sasuke looking at them with his rinnegan stopped them from staring at them. That was how his first couple of weeks back in Konoha was spent._

 _Sakura took a break from her missions and hospital duties for a while, which Kakashi was more than happy to give her. It had been three months already by the time Naruto came back from his mission. If Sasuke had the ability, he would've burst out laughing at his reaction. Kakashi had only informed him that Sasuke was back. So after thunderously and forcefully entering Sasuke's house, Naruto had been surprised to see Sakura there, because as far as he knew, Sakura was never talking to Sasuke again. But she was sitting on the floor that lead outside from his living room reading many of the baby books she had bought. Both Sasuke and Sakura looked up as Naruto entered and stared at Sakura then Sasuke sitting on the kotatsu table also reading, because Sakura made him. He looked from one to the other but didn't question much because he was too happy to. He hadn't thought it would be possible for him and his friends to be in one room anymore but here they were, despite everything that had happened and he was too elated to question it._

 _Naruto was just about to jump on Sasuke to greet him when he heard the loud wailing. He seems to wonder where it was coming from for a brief moment with confusion written all over his whiskered face when Sakura stood up and left the room._

" _Can't you be quiet from now on dead last?" Sasuke couldn't help it, he just had to._

" _Wait! That's coming from your house?" he screeched, blue eyes wide in amazement. The whole thing had been something Sasuke would never forget. At the end Sasuke, not for the first time, was amazed at his team's ability for acceptance._

 _Some how Sasuke felt like he should've known that Naruto would be good with kids, yet he was still surprised when Sarada didn't cry when Naruto picked her up from Sakura's arms. She didn't smile yet, but her lips were kind of stuck in a small eternal smile. But Naruto continued to coo and smile at her and she watched him as if in a kind of fascination._

 _As the four of them gathered around his kotatsu table and he watched Sakura smile fondly at Sarada and Naruto, as he watched Naruto rock Sarada side to side, as he watched Sarada watch him with big eyes in wonder, he realized… this is what true happiness must feel like._

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	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Moments in life

 _Three months into his return to Konoha, people still glared and stared whenever he went out. Their hatred only seems to increase ten fold when he was with Sakura and Sarada. But he found it easier and easier to ignore their scrutiny as time passed by because he was too engrossed in looking at the woman beside him. He didn't want to take his eyes off her even to glare at all these people that so clearly hated him._

 _He took a strange sort of pleasure in watching her, as she cooked, as she read, as she sparred, as she put Sarada to bed. It was as if he could watch her forever and never get tired. It scared him but even that fear couldn't stop him from staring at her and letting a brief moment of happiness seize him. She never noticed and he was perfectly okay with her never finding out but a little part of him wanted her to find out too. He was so confused and lost with all these contradictory emotions and thoughts._

 _Sakura was amazed at the way Sasuke was with Sarada. As much as they were both lost and clueless, Sasuke seems to be less clueless than she is. But it was amazing watching him bounce her in his arms and walk around the back yard when she wouldn't stop crying. Its not that he was particularly good at parenting, it was that he tried so hard. It was making old feelings resurface and she was annoyed by it._

 _The whole living with him doesn't help either but she wants to be with Sarada and she had no right to say Sasuke can't, not that she wanted to. She knows that its best for a child to have both her parents if she can. She wasn't going to take Sarada's father away from her because her own heart is treacherous. She was already wondering what kind of affect it will have on Sarada that her parents weren't married, but she supposed it was a special case after all._

 _She had to admit though, she was a little mad at herself for still being in love with Sasuke despite previously thinking that she was over him. She had been sure she hated him and she had really until he brought her the child she had given up hope on. It was like a silent pact between team 7 to forgive Sasuke for his mistakes before the war. And if she were honest she would've forgive him too if she hadn't been kidnapped and he hadn't taken the most precious thing in her life from her._

 _But for everything else, for leaving, for fighting them, for even attempting to take their lives (it wasn't like they hadn't tried the same thing), they silently made a pact to forgive him for those things. It was actually never spoken but the three of them somehow knew it anyway. He wasn't himself back then, so blinded by one thing or another. If its not revenge, then it was power that blinded him. It was like the Sasuke that they knew disappeared for a few confusing years and came back just when they needed him._

 _But for a while she had been sure she would never be able to forgive him for what he had done to her and for robbing her of her first child. She had thought him heartless and didn't want him in her life, constantly reminding her of something she can never have, something that cannot be undone. But then he had walked back into her life with that same thing she had thought was forever lost to her and her heart was filled with such happiness and love it didn't have any room for anything else._

 _It didn't take a whole lot of time for Sakura to remember why she loved him in the first place. Three months with him and it all came back to her like a tsunami. The way he was with Sarada, the way he was with Naruto, the way he took care of the shrine that was built in the house for his parents and brother which reminded her of how much he had loved them. Sakura was overwhelmed as she was exposed to all these qualities of Sasuke again, the Sasuke she had known as a child. Just like that, she once again admired and loved the man before her as the past year's worth of hatred took a back seat._

 _She didn't know what kind of a relationship she and Sasuke had. They weren't really friends, not in the way he and Naruto were, they certainly weren't teammates anymore, and they sure as hell weren't lovers. They were just two people, who have a child together and lived together but it didn't go any further than that, because she knew it can't. Their relationship was always complicated but before it was just the two of them that it affected. But now there was a whole other being that would be affected by their decisions. She didn't want to bring it up only to have Sasuke throw it back on her face and what would happen after? They would be living in the same house awkwardly trying to avoid each other. It was best to not open old wounds, not to pick at a small scab and turn it into an infected mess of crap. And she wanted to continue to be in Sarada's life so she knew it was best not to make things weird._

' _Anyway, she preferred it this way', this was a little white lie she told herself to keep herself from crying herself to sleep some nights. But the point was that Sasuke was here with her, that they were raising this child together, these are the things that mattered because the matters of her heart were nothing new to her, she knew how to keep her heart from shattering._

 _The first moment Sasuke entertained the idea of Sakura, it had been in a dream. Just as always when he laid down on the bed and closed his eyes, Sakura appeared behind his closed eyes lids. But this time he didn't stop at just looking at her, he sat down beside her on the porch behind his house, her favorite place to sit, and took hold of her chin, turning it towards him and leaned in. But before he could plant his lips on hers to finally know what they felt like, he opened his eyes, stared at the white ceiling above him and berated himself for not letting his mind wonder._

 _Then of course he remembered that barely a year ago, he had stood by as Kabuto experimented on her trying to_ create _the perfect weapon. He scowled at himself at the thought because he was repulsed by himself and he couldn't help but wonder how Sakura could ever feel any other way. With these thoughts of a life lived forever without love, he fell asleep._

 _When he woke up, he turned around in his bed, throwing his hand over the bed only for it to land on something beside him. Opening his eyes in surprise, he was shocked to find Sakura beside him, stirring awake from his accidental nudge. Her green eyes slowly opened to stare at Sasuke's, undoubtedly wide, eyes._

" _Are you okay?" she had asked groggily, her voice slurred with sleep. He only managed to stare at her for a moment before a cry was heard from down the hall through the open bed room door. Sakura leaned down and kissed his forehead before getting up and wrapping a robe around her naked form and exiting the room._

" _Mama's coming sweetheart." He heard her say. His shock at finding Sakura in his bed, or rather her bed because he was now in the master bedroom, was pushed to the back of his mind as his fingers unconsciously went to touch the place where her lips had gently caressed him, a smile he wouldn't have been able to hide appearing on his lips._

 _The next moment the crying became louder and louder and Sasuke turned his head towards the door and his eyes snapped open as he looked around finding himself back in his own room, the door shut. He heard Sakura's soft voice humming to the baby and Sasuke listened to the soft, out of tune sound coming from the next room. Sarada's crying finally seized as she fell back asleep and Sakura's humming slowly came to a stop. Sasuke wanted to go to that room and lie down beside the two of them and for a moment he imagined he did just that and Sakura smiled at him as he threw an arm over the two of them. When Sasuke realized that he was alone on his cold bed, he lay awake that night because even though that dream was wonderful in every way, when he woke up, it became a nightmare due to the realization of its impossibility._

 _A few weeks later, as he, Sakura and Sarada were walking back home from the market, he overheard a conversation in which Sarada was referred to as a bastard and before Sasuke could react Sakura had already pounced on the women and Sasuke couldn't do much with Sarada in his arms, but secretly he reveled in the shock on the woman's face and secretly cheered Sakura on. After the incident, the three of them had kept on shopping like nothing had taken place while people stared and Sasuke understood that this was Sakura's way of telling everyone not to mess with her and her family. That was the second moment in which Sasuke entertained the idea of Sakura because she was kick ass and he was impressed._

 _A week later came the third moment as Sakura cooked dinner in their kitchen while Sasuke sat at the small four people table as he bounced Sarada on his knees softly. He felt the familiarity of the scene and realized, despite him and Sakura not being married, they were a little family. He wanted to hold onto this moment forever. He wished time would stop and he will be able to enjoy this moment for the rest of his life. He felt like despite being only seventeen, he finally had everything he wanted in life. He didn't mean to say it; he hadn't planned it because he was sure it was impossible. He couldn't ever imagine a scenario in which this would turn in his favor, but it had escaped his lips before he knew it, his mind completely out of control._

" _Sakura…marry me?" he had asked and watched as Sakura's form stilled in front of the stove. He stared wide eyed at her back. She turned around, slowly, as if readying herself for something. Her viridian eyes held the same shock Sasuke had in his eyes, but hidden behind that shock was sadness that he had seen the night he left all those years ago. For a moment, he feared the worst, he scolded himself for so obviously speaking out of turn and he wanted to take it back if only to make sure that nothing would change, to keep her close to him._

" _Yes." She had whispered, smiling through her tears before turning back to her pot of whatever it was that she was cooking. Sasuke wanted to rejoice, but he wasn't sure whether her tears were out of happiness or sadness._


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Inevitable changes

Sasuke watched as Sakura and Sarada sat under the tree watching the sky looking perfectly content. Sasuke was just about to leave back into the cave because he felt as though he was intruding when Sarada's voice stopped him.

"Mama? Why don't you date?" the question seems to hang in the air as the leaves were blown by the wind, Sasuke putting all of his ninja skills into hearing the answer.

"Because I am married to your father." Even though the answer seems to come from Sakura so effortlessly, he was disappointed to hear her answer. For a moment, he wondered what he wanted to hear.

"But he's never around." Sarada said and Sasuke could almost imagine the scowl on her pale face. He himself frowned at her words.

"I'm still married to him." Sakura answered and Sasuke wanted to see her, he wanted to look at her for some reason, but he stayed hidden behind the wall of the cave. Sarada stayed quiet for a while and Sasuke thought she might've finished interrogating her mother.

"But if you weren't…?" she finally asked quietly and Sasuke held his breath because, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he was afraid of what she might say.

"It wouldn't be fair." She answered softly.

"To who?" he was almost taken aback by Sarada's voice asking the question he had asked himself.

"To whoever it is I date. Because I am still very much in love with your father." The answer seems to come to her so naturally and effortlessly. She didn't sound sad or regretful. She sounded as if she had thought about it. As if she had tried and failed. Sasuke couldn't help the small leap of his heart as he heard for the first time, in what felt like forever, those words from her lips. The last time had been the night before he left as he made love to her and she cried whispering it over and over again. The morning after when her lips formed the words, he had quickly kissed her preventing her from saying it because every time she said it, her words and voice seem to have some kind of sadness he couldn't put his finger on.

"How can you? Can't you see how awful he is? How can you love him after what he did to you?" now Sarada seemed almost angry, her voice a little frantic. Sasuke listened with bated breath because he has been wondering that for so long, since he left the village as a child he had been wondering how she is still capable of loving him so unconditionally.

"I know what you think of him honey, but he's not the person you think he is. You are only judging him from this one thing he did. You don't know him like I do. And its not your fault, its his fault that you don't him as well as you should. But he's…amazing. And despite what you think, he loves you very much. He's just… afraid of losing you because of his past. I know that one day you'll be able to forgive him, when you understand him." Sakura's voice was so unbelievably soft and and not for the first time Sasuke wondered how he was ever lucky enough to have her. "Just because he doesn't love me, doesn't mean he's a bad person." The sadness in her words were palpable and it made Sasuke snap his head up towards the voice.

'What!?' he couldn't help thinking the question. What does she mean by that? But before Sarada could continue her questioning, Sakura abruptly interrupted her.

"I think its time we went home. Get your things." She hurriedly said as if she had said something she shouldn't have. As if she had spoken forbidden words. Sasuke watched as Sarada confusedly looked up at her mother and Sakura smiled warmly down to her. But she didn't question her mother and stood up from her lap. Sasuke also went back in side the hideout, not wanting to get caught eavesdropping. He sat down at the kitchen table and sighed as Sarada didn't even spare him a glance. It didn't look like she was ever going to forgive him; his hearts ached at the thought.

Sasuke wondered why Sakura had said something like that. Why would she tell Sarada that he didn't love her? Or…did she actually believe that he didn't love her? How is that possible? He's never actually told her in words that he loved her, but she had to have known. Unless of course…she didn't. It would explain so many things, like her constant sadness, her tears the night he left after they got married, 'she didn't know!', the thought hit him like a brick to the face.

Just as that thought crossed his chaotic mind, Sakura walked in to the kitchen. They stared at each other for a while, Sakura with the same sadness she always carries when she looks at him and Sasuke with realization.

"We were thinking of going back." She broke the silence. "I would've liked to see Karin and Suigetsu, but I guess they are somewhere in here. I hope they visit before they leave." She said walking towards the exit of the kitchen, towards the room with Sarada's things in it.

"Sakura!?" He abruptly stood up as she walked by the table, the chair he was sitting on toppling over behind him making a loud crash in the quite room. She turned around towards him, her green eyes wide with surprise. "I heard you outside." He said quietly and she seems to look at him questioningly before realizing what he actually meant. He bit her lower lip as if she were afraid of what is to come.

"Then I hope you will find more time in the future for your daughter."

"That's not what I'm talking about." He said, though guilt still ate at his heart. "Sakura…why do you think I married you?" he asked hoping to get the answer from her. Sasuke could tell she was surprised at his question. She licked her lips before answering.

"Why does that matter now?" she said attempting to laugh yet failing due to the seriousness of the situation. Just as these words left her lips, Sarada came in with wide eyes, having heard the loud clatter of the chair hitting the floor.

"What's going on?" she asked looking back and forth between her parents.

"It matters to me." Sasuke said ignoring Sarada for the moment. He couldn't stand that Sakura didn't know such an important thing. He's never felt this way about anyone else and he wanted her to know, especially now that he knew she thought otherwise.

"Sasuke…please…" she pleaded moving her eyes towards Sarada as if she were begging him not to carry on. But he was going to, he couldn't stand for Sakura to spend another moment without this knowledge.

"Sakura…I married you because I have feelings for you." He blurted out and he knew his ears were pink from admitting something so personal. "The…romantic… sort." He added before she got more confused. His eyes went from Sakura's wide green ones to Sarada's equally wide dark ones with her mouth hanging open. She looked absolutely flabbergasted.

"You…" Sakura's voice broke and she swallowed before continuing. "…you love me?" she asked breathlessly as if that was the most unlikely thing ever. He could already see the start of tears in her eyes and was already becoming uncomfortable, but the happiness that he knew she was holding back was almost visible in her eyes as well.

"Tch, don't ask stupid questions." He said as his heart started beating against his rib cage. He felt ridiculous, why should he be nervous? But she recoiled at his words and he let out a sigh. He knew he was going to have to be much more delicate. He knew he has to put his personality aside for a while, at least until she got it through her head that he meant what he said. "Are you telling me that for twelve years, you didn't know I was in love with you?" he felt this was a question that needed immediate attention. Sakura's eyes widened at his covert admission.

"You never said." She said almost in a daze, her voice a whisper. Sasuke ran a hand through his hair.

"I thought you just… knew." He said as he looked anywhere but at her.

"How can I possibly assume such a thing when all its done in the past is hurt me Sasuke?" she asked in an exasperated voice making Sasuke realize that this was his fault, the list never stops.

Of course Sakura wouldn't assume his feelings for her because he had never even acted like it. Looking at his past behavior, even before he left the village, Sakura would never think that without him telling her. Why hadn't that occurred to him earlier? He could've saved both of them from so much pain if he hadn't let his pride lead his life.

Sarada spent the whole time looking from her mother to her father, her head spinning back and forth, her dark eyes bewildered. Had her father never told her mother that he loved her? Yet her mother had never stopped loving him despite him never having taken five seconds out of his life to reciprocate those feelings. How was it ever possible for her father to deserve her mother? Why does she love him so unconditionally? What is it about her father that she couldn't see but her mother never stopped seeing? She was baffled, she was confused, she didn't know what to think. What does this mean? Will her father be part of their lives now? Does she even want that? What will happen to her if her mother decides to accept him back? What will happen to the family that consisted of just her and her mama? May be she shouldn't have come looking for her father? May be it had been a mistake after all?

Her eyes finally landed in her mother's viridian ones and the happiness in them was almost palpable to her. When it came to her father, her mother's eyes were always filled with unshed tears, tears she wouldn't let fall in front of anyone else, especially her. Her eyes were filled with tears of happiness and Sarada felt like her relationship with her mother has forever changed. She felt like the happiness she has always felt when she was with her mother is getting further and further from her. As soon as she felt the image of her mother waver in front of her she ran back inside the cave she had just come from as she felt her life crumble around her.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Mother's smile

Sakura's heart was beating so loud and so fast she had to tell herself to calm down. She had forgotten that Sarada was here until she heard her foot steps getting farther away from them. She turned her head in her direction just as Sarada disappeared out of the doorway. She knew something was wrong, she always knew when something wrong when it came to Sarada. She turned to the direction Sarada had gone and hastily walked the same way frantically wiping at her eyes. She hurried her steps and only stopped when she heard sniffling come from the room she had woken up in. She stood in the doorway looking in, watching as Sarada stuffed the limited things she had scattered on the bed. She sniffled again wiping her eyes.

"Are you okay?" she asked her daughter as she leaned against the door frame. Hearing her voice, Sarada tried to hurriedly wipe her face of any trace of her tears. Sakura sighed as she pushed her self off the door frame and walked inside the room. "What have I told you about keeping secrets from me?" Sarada continued to sniffle looking down at her lap. "We only have each other, so we tell each other everything." She said repeating the thing she had told her daughter a million times.

"Well, now you have him so…" Sarada trailed off miserably. Sakura sat down beside her daughter, a sigh escaping her lips as she did so.

"Listen…you," she started, taking Sarada's hand in her own, "are my daughter. No one can take that away from us. You are my number one priority. Do you understand?" Sakura said looking at the top of her daughter's bent head. "If you are unhappy with any of this, then it all stops. We will just go home and carry on as we always have, alright?" she said gently, still waiting for Sarada to lift her head. "Hey…" she called out softly putting her fingers under Sarada's chin, lifting her face up to meet her eyes. Sakura pursed her lips as she saw the tears in Sarada's eyes as she attempted to hold them back. "But I always want you to tell me if you are not happy with something, okay? You have to talk to me or I won't know." She said as she wiped tears from Sarada's pink cheeks. "Okay?" she asked again, and Sarada finally replied with a nod of her head. "Okay." Sakura said smiling down at her daughter. "Now get your things and we'll leave." Sakura said preparing to leave, but before she could, she felt a tug at her wrist and she sat back down looking at Sarada.

"It's okay." Sarada mumbled looking down at her lap again, her mother's hand still in hers.

"What is honey?" Sakura asked confused.

"You and him…I'm okay with it." She murmured and Sakura's heart squeezed at her daughter's defeated look.

"You don't have to force yourself to do anything."

"I'm not." Her daughter finally looked up her, her eyes determined and her voice stronger. "You've always done things for my happiness. You have always made sure I'm happy before you think about yourself. I want to do that for you too. I want you to be happy mama." Sarada's words made Sakura's eyes well with tears.

"Honey, I'm your mother. That's what I do and I love doing it." She said softly, tucking a strand of dark hair behind Sarada's ear.

"And now I want to do that for you. If he makes you happy…I can forgive him." She finished but Sakura could still see that she was having a hard time with her resolve.

"Sweetheart, I told you, you don't have to force yourself to do anything." Sakura said giving her daughter as much opportunity as she can to opt out of what she is offering. She knew it can't be easy for Sarada to forgive Sasuke like this. She knew it would take time, it did for her.

"I'm really not mama. When he said those things, you looked really happy. I want you to be happy all the time like that. I don't want you to be sad when anyone talks about him. I can forgive him for you. I want to do this for you." Sakura was very aware of the tears that were now falling down her cheeks. But it was nothing compared to the pride she felt for having raised this angel. Sakura pitied Sasuke for not being able to watch her grow up, but she also silently thanked him for bringing Sarada to her all those years ago. She ran her tongue over her now dry lips before speaking.

"Just so you know…I have never in my life been more happier than I was watching you grow up. You may think he holds my happiness and it's true, I do love him and he does hold a big part of my happiness, but you… hold the biggest part." She said as she hugged Sarada to herself and she felt her daughter's small hands wind around her waist. "I love you sweetheart." She whispered as the hands around her tightened.

"I love you too mama."

When Sakura finally left her daughter and went back to the kitchen, Sasuke was sitting at the table leaning back in his chair. He straightened as she entered the kitchen, sitting up and looking at her with what Sakura could only name as nervousness, but she couldn't fathom why he would be nervous. She sat down on the chair across from him and neither said anything for a long time.

"What does this even mean Sasuke? For us? For her?" she asked motioning towards the door.

"What do you mean?" he asked as if their world hadn't just been turned upside down. Sakura felt a little anger at his words because she knew what he was thinking and she didn't like it.

"Don't even think about it Sasuke. If you want to be a part of her life, you are going to have to make an effort." She said raising her voice. "You've missed so much of her life already. Do you really want to miss the rest of it?" she asked wrapping her arms in front of her chest showing her defiance. "She has decided to forgive you, don't take that for granted Sasuke, you need to do your part too." As she said, she saw his lone eye widen with surprise.

"She has?" he asked in shock.

Sakura's eyes softened at the hopeful look on his face and she remembered that he has been waiting for this more than anyone. Sakura was suddenly reminded of the look she saw on his face when he had handed Sarada to her 12 years ago.

"Yes, please don't break her heart." She pleaded softly. Sakura watched as Sasuke contemplated, his eyes looking far away where she couldn't possibly reach.

"What about you?" he finally asked, his voice only a murmur that she barely heard him. At her confused look he went on. "Have you forgiven me?" he asked, turning his eyes towards her own that she felt he was staring into her soul. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she understood what it is that he was asking her.

"It's all in the past Sasuke. You brought her to me, that's all that matters to me because thanks to you…she's mine" She told him with a slight parting of her lips that clearly showed her happiness. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity before Sasuke stood up from his chair and stood beside her. She followed him with her eyes in confusion and looked up as he stood beside her. She was taken off guard as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss. He pulled back slightly, but he was still so close to her that she felt his hot breath fan over her lips as he spoke.

"You didn't say it." He murmured, his eyes boring into her eyes.

She raised her hand up and caressed his cheek softly with her thumb, "I love you." She said with a smile gracing her pink lips.

"Good" he smirked before landing his lips on her forehead this time. She wanted to slap him a little bit just to wipe that arrogant smirk off his face. But she was too happy for that kind of violence _just yet_ so she stood up instead and wrapped her hands around him resting her head on his collarbone.

Sasuke's own heart was pounding with happiness. He didn't think it would ever be possible for him to feel this happy again. He certainly didn't believe he deserved it. He was grateful for the fact that they can finally be a family. He knew that he would have to work hard to fully gain forgiveness from Sarada, but knowing that Sarada was prepared to forgive him was a load off his mind. And to finally have Sakura in his arms like this was a dream he had had many times over in his lonely journey. He couldn't help the smile that came to his lips as her warmth and scent surrounded him.

Sarada hid behind the door frame watching her parents with an embarrassed smile and pink cheeks. She couldn't remember how many times she had wished to see her parents like this, every time the seventh would hug Hinata-obachan, which was all the time, she wondered when she will ever see her own parents like that. Her heart fluttered at the sight and she knew that in that moment that it was not a mistake to have found her father just to see her mother smile the way she is doing now.

* * *

Okay its done. I hope you guys enjoyed it. A lot of people thought that Sakura didn't carry Sarada because she is physically unable to for some reason, which is not the case. Sakura didn't know that Sarada had been put in someone else. Just to clarify, SAKURA CAN HAVE CHILDREN. After her rescue both she and Sasuke thought that the baby didn't survive.

Anyway, its done. There was a lot more sasusaku in it than I thought it would. I honestly didn't mean for them to even end up together at the end of this, but I couldn't carry on writing the story if that were the case I realized. I just love them too much.

I think a lot of you were confused about the timeline. But it takes place half before the war and half after. I mean I changed events to match my story, but Sakura was kidnapped about 5 months before the war and Sasuke brought Sarada back about 4 months after war after he came across Karin, Suigetsu and Kabuto on his "redemption" journey. Hope it wasn't too confusing.

I can't believe so many of you thought I would be unfaithful to the love of my life, which is sasusaku. I actually had a great time reading your comments because I kind of laughed when you guys said something that you thought was coming but I knew you were in for a surprise. Thanks for reading and having the patience to read till the end because I know it was kind of confusing.

I am really glad for all of your wonderful comments and support, please review and rate.


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